3  1822  01373  0205 


presented  to  the 
UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SAN  DIEGO 

by 

Mrs.  Griff ing  Bancroft 


3   1822  01373  0205 


•  .  Al  3-7 


MASTERMAN  READY; 


OR, 


THE  WRECK  OF  THE  "  PACIFIC.1 


By  CAPTAIN  MARRY  AT, 

Author  of  "Mr.  Midshipman  Easy,"  etc.,  etc. 


YORK: 
A.  L.  BURT,  PUBLISHER. 


Copyright,  1898.    By  A.  L.  Boor. 


MASTERMAN  BEADY. 


NOTE. 

THE  author  of  this  little  work  has  received  a  letter 
from  one  of  the  family  of  the  Mastermans,  stating  that 
an  unpleasant  feeling  has  been  created  by  his  assuming 
that  name  for  the  godfather  of  Masterman  Ready,  in- 
asmuch as  the  character  of  the  godfather  is  not  one 
that  is  at  all  enviable.  What  might  make  it  appear  that 
he  had  actually  referred  to  one  of  the  members  of  that 
family  in  this  work  of  fiction,  is  that,  by  the  strangest 
coincidence,  there  have  been  Mastermans,  for  nearly  a 
century,  residing  at  South  Shields,  and  as  ship-owners 
and  builders,  so  that  by  a  mere  chance  he  has  not  only 
assumed  the  name,  but  the  residence  and  the  occupation 
of  the  parties.  It  is  therefore  his  duty  to  state  that 
this  coincidence,  strange  as  it  is,  was  quite  an  accident, 
and  that  he  never  could  or  would  have  taken  a  step 
which  could  cause  any  pain  or  annoyance  to  so  respect- 
able a  family. 


PREFACE. 

I  PROMISED  my  children,  to  write  a  book  for  them. 
It  was  a  hasty  promise,  for  I  never  considered  whether 
I  was  capable  of  so  doing.  On  my  requesting  to  know 
what  kind  of  a  book  they  would  prefer,  they  said  that 
they  wished  me  to  continue  a  work  called  the  "  Swiss 
Family  Kobinson,"  which  had  never  been  completed, 
and  which  appeared  peculiarly  to  interest  them.  I  sent 
for  the  work  and  read  it :  it  was  originally  written  in 
German,  translated  into  French,  and  from  French  into 
English — a  very  fair  evidence  of  its  merits  as  amusing 
to  children ;  but  I  found  difficulties  which  were  to  me 
insurmountable,  and  which  decided  me  not  to  continue 
that  work,  but  to  write  another  in  the  same  style ;  and 
I  mention  this  more  with  a  view  to  prevent  any  accusa- 
tion of  plagiarism  than  with  any  intent  to  depreciate 
the  work  referred  to.  I  have  said  that  it  is  very 
amusing ;  but  the  fault  which  I  find  in  it  is,  that  it 
does  not  adhere  to  the  probable,  or  even  the  possible, 
which  should  ever  be  the  case  in  a  book,  even  if  ficti- 
tious, when  written  for  children.  I  pass  over  the  sea- 
manship, or  rather  the  want  of  it,  which  occasions  impos- 
sibilities to  be  performed  on  board  of  the  wreck,  as  that 
is  not  a  matter  of  any  consequence :  as  in  the  comedy, 
where,  when  people  did  not  understand  Greek,  Irish 
did  just  as  well,  so  it  is  with  a  large  portion  of  seaman- 
ship displayed  in  naval  writings.  But  what  compelled 
me  to  abandon  the  task  was,  that  much  ignorance,  or 


Iv  PREFACE. 

carelessness,  had  been  displayed  in  describing  the  veg- 
etable and  animal  productions  of  the  island  on 
which  the  family  had  been  wrecked.  The  island  is 
supposed  to  be  far  to  the  southward,  near  to  Yan  Die- 
men's  Land ;  yet  in  these  temperate  latitudes  we  have 
not  only  plants,  but  animals  introduced,  which  could 
only  be  found  in  the  interior  of  Africa  or  the  torrid 
zone,  mixed  up  with  those  really  indigenous  to  the 
climate.  This  was  an  error  which  I  could  not  persuade 
myself  to  follow  up.  It  is  true  that  it  is  a  child's  book ; 
but  I  consider,  for  that  very  reason,  it  is  necessary  that 
the  author  should  be  particular  in  what  may  appear  to 
be  trifles,  but  which  really  are  not,  when  it  is  remem- 
bered how  strong  the  impressions  are  upon  the  juvenile 
mind.  Fiction,  when  written  for  young  people,  should, 
at  all  events,  be  based  upon  truth  ;  and  I  could  not  con- 
tinue a  narrative  under  the  objections  which  I  have 
stated. 

Whether  I  have  succeeded  or  not  in  the  construction 
of  my  own  is  another  question.  I  shall,  however,  take 
the  opinions  of  the  children  rather  than  of  the  critics 
on  this  point.  My  idea  is,  to  show  the  practical  man 
in  Ready,  and  the  theoretical  in  the  father  of  the 
family ;  and,  as  the  work  advances,  to  enter  more 
deeply  into  questions  which  may  induce  children  to 
think,  or,  by  raising  their  curiosity,  stimulate  them  to 
seek  for  information. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAO« 

The  Pacific  and  her  Crew 1 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Passengers  in  the  Pacific 6 

CHAPTER  III. 
Adventure  with  a  Lion 11 

CHAPTER  IV. 
The  Tempest 17 

CHAPTER  V. 
Ready's  Advice 24 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Left  in  the  Ship 81 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Among  the  Coral  Islands 89 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
The  Ship  on  the  Rocks 49 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Going  on  Shore 65 

CHAPTER  X. 
Night  on  the  Island , 61 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Getting  Things  from  the  Ship 66 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Sharks  at  Hand 71 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Tommy  Made  of  Use 79 


. 

viii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
The  Explorers  Start 84 

CHAPTER  XV. 
A  Lovely  Spot 92 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Finding  a  Spring 97 

CHAPTER  XVH. 
The  Return  to  the  Tents 103 

CHAPTER,  XVIII. 
The  Ship  Breaks  up 108 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Collecting  Flotsam 112 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Repairing  the  Boat 118 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Willie's  Kindness  and  Good  Sense 122 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Turtle  Soup 128 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Making  a  Well 134 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Making  a  Turtle-pond 138 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Castor-oil  Beans 142 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Tommy  and  the  Goat 147 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
Turning  Turtle  by  Moonlight 152 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
William  Fishes  by  Moonlight  160 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
The  New  House 164 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
Two  Kids  Found..  .  168 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
Old  Ready's  Story 176 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
Old  Ready  Continues  his  Story. 189 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
Where  Tommy  put  the  Thimble 195 

CHAPTER   XXXIV. 
The  Boys  and  the  Baboons 205 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
God's  Creative  Power 216 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
The  Dutch  Farm 225 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 
Ready  and  the  Hyena 284 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 
Romer  Killed  by  a  Lion 244 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
More  of  Ready's  Adventures 256 

CHAPTER  XL. 
Tommy  Steals  the  Eggs 267 

CHAPTER  XLI. 
Sanders'  Generosity. 277 

CHAPTER  XLII. 
Great  Discoveries 283 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 
A  Ship  in  Sight 298 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 
The  Savages' Canoe 807 

CHAPTER  XLV. 
The  Council 818 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 
Tommy  and  the  Crawfish 823 

CHAPTER  XLVH. 
Arrangements  for  a  Move 327 


x  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XLVIII.  PAGE 

The  New  Abode 332 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 
Ready  and  Mr.  Seagrave  at  the  Cove 336 

CHAPTER  L. 
The  Cases  from  the  Wreck 340 

CHAPTER  LI. 
Tommy  Shoots  the  Pig 345 

CHAPTER  LII. 
Remus  Turns  Postman 351 

CHAPTER  LIIL 
The  Answer  to  the  Letter 356 

CHAPTER  LIV. 
Anecdotes  of  Elephants 362 

CHAPTER  LV. 
The  Hedge  and  Ditch  Finished 368 

CHAPTER  LVI. 
The  Wild  Ass  and  Camel 372 

CHAPTER  LVII. 
Erecting  the  Stockade 878 

CHAPTER  LVIII. 
Ready's  Danger , 383 

CHAPTER  LIX. 
The  Fortified  Home 389 

CHAPTER  LX. 
Canoes  in  Sight 895 

CHAPTER  LXI. 
The  Savages  Land , 401 

CHAPTER  LXII. 
Defense  of  the  Stockade 405 

CHAPTER  LXIII. 
The  Night  Attack ,.  412 


CONTENTS.  xi 

CHAPTER  LXIV.  PAOK 

Ready's  Self-devotion 418 

CHAPTER  LXV. 
Saved 424 

CHAPTER  LXVI. 
Ready's  Death .-.  431 

CHAPTER  LXVII. 
TheEnd...  488 


MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   PACIFIC  AND   HER   CREW. 

IT  was  in  the  month  of  October,  18 — ,  that  the 
Pacific,  a  large  ship,  was  running  before  a  heavy 
gale  of  wind  in  the  middle  of  the  vast  Atlantic  Ocean. 
She  had  but  little  sail,  for  the  wind  was  so  strong  that 
the  canvas  would  have  been  split  into  pieces  by  the 
furious  blasts  before  which  she  was  driven  through  the 
waves,  which  were  very  high,  and  following  her  almost 
as  fast  as  she  darted  through  their  boiling  waters,  some- 
times heaving  up  her  stern  and  sinking  her  bows  down 
so  deep  into  the  hollow  of  the  sea  that  it  appeared  as 
if  she  would  have  dived  down  underneath  the  waves  ; 
but  she  was  a  fine  vessel,  and  the  captain  was  a  good 
seaman,  who  did  what  he  considered  best  for  the  safety 
of  his  vessel,  and  then  put  his  trust  in  that  Providence 
who  is  ever  watchful  over  us. 

The  captain  stood  before  the  wheel,  watching  the 
men  who  were  steering  the  ship ;  for  when  you  are 
running  before  a  heavy  gale,  it  requires  great  atten- 
tion to  the  helm ;  and  as  he  looked  around  him  and  up 
at  the  heavens,  he  sung,  in  a  low  voice,  the  words  of  a 
sea  song ; 


2  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"One  wide  water  all  around  us, 
All  above  us  one  black  sky." 

And  so  it  was  with  them — they  were  in  the  middle  of 
the  Atlantic,  not  another  vessel  to  be  seen,  and  the 
heavens  were  covered  with  black  clouds,  which  were 
borne  along  furiously  by  the  gale ;  the  sea  ran  moun- 
tains high,  and  broke  into  large  white  foaming  crests, 
while  the  fierce  wind  howled  through  the  rigging  of 
the  vessel. 

Besides  the  captain  of  the  ship  and  the  two  men  at 
the  wheel,  there  were  two  other  personages  on  deck  : 
one  was  a  young  lad  about  twelve  years  old,  and  the 
other  a  weather-beaten  old  seaman,  whose  grisly  locks 
were  streaming  in  the  wind,  as  he  paced  aft  and  looked 
over  the  taffrail  of  the  vessel. 

The  young  lad,  observing  a  heavy  sea  coming  up  to 
the  stern  of  the  vessel,  caught  hold  of  the  old  man's 
arm,  crying  out — won't  that  great  wave  come  into  us, 
Ready  ?" 

"  No,  Master  William,  it  will  not :  don't  you  see 
how  the  ship  lifts  her  quarters  to  it  ? — and  now  it  has 
passed  underneath  us.  But  it  might  happen,  and  then 
what  would  become  of  you,  if  I  did  not  hold  on,  and 
hold  you  on  also  ?  You  would  be  washed  overboard." 

"  I  don't  like  the  sea  much,  Ready  ;  I  wish  we  were 
safe  on  shore  again,"  replied  the  lad.  "Don't  the 
waves  look  as  if  they  wished  to  beat  the  ship  all  to 
pieces  ?" 

:<  Yes,  they  do ;  and  they  roar  as  if  angry  because 
they  cannot  bury  the  vessel  beneath  them  ;  but  I  am 
used  to  them,  Master  Willy,  and  with  a  good  ship  like 
this,  and  a  good  captain  and  crew,  I  don't  care  for 
them." 


MASTERMAN  RE  A  DY.  3 

"  But  sometimes  ships  do  sink,  and  then  everybody 
is  drowned." 

"  Yes,  Master  William ;  and  very  often  the  very 
ships  sink  which  those  on  board  think  are  most  safe. 
We  can  only  do  our  best,  and  after  that  we  must 
submit  to  the  will  of  Heaven." 

"  What  little  birds  are  those  flying  about  so  close  to 
the  water?" 


MASTEBMAN    KEADY. 

u  Those  are  Mother  Carey's  chickens,  Master  William, 
as  we  sailors  call  them.  You  seldom  see  them  except 
in  a  storm,  or  when  a  storm  is  coming  on." 

The  birds  which  William  referred  to  were  the 
stormy  petrels. 

"  Were  you  ever  shipwrecked  on  a  desolate  island, 
like  Kobinson  Crusoe  ?" 

"  Yes,  Master  William,  I  have  been  shipwrecked ; 
but  I  never  heard  of  Eobinson  Crusoe.  So  many  have 


4  MA8TERMAN  READY. 

been  wrecked  and  undergone  great  hardships,  and  so 
many  more  have  never  lived  to  tell  what  they  have 
suffered,  that  it's  not  very  likely  that  I  should  have 
known  that  one  man  you  speak  of,  out  of  so  many." 

"  Oh  !  but  it's  all  in  a  book  which  I  have  read.  1 
could  tell  you  all  about  it — and  so  I  will  when  the  ship 
is  quiet  again ;  but  now  I  wish  you  would  help  me 
down  below,  for  I  promised  mamma  not  to  stay  up 
long." 

"Then  always  keep  your  promises  like  a  good  lad," 
replied  the  old  man;  "now  give  me  your  hand,  and 
I'll  answer  for  it  that  we  will  fetch  the  hatchway 
without  a  tumble ;  and  when  the  weather  is  fine  again 
I'll  tell  you  how  I  was  wrecked,  and  you  shall  tell  me 
all  about  Kobinson  Crusoe." 

Having  seen  Master  William  safe  to  the  cabin  door, 
the  old  seaman  returned  to  the  deck,  for  it  was  his 
watch. 

Masterman  Ready,  for  such  was  his  name,  had  been 
more  than  fifty  years  at  sea,  having  been  bound 
apprentice  to  a  collier  which  sailed  from  South  Shields, 
when  he  was  only  ten  years  old.  His  face  was  browned 
from  long  exposure,  and  there  were  deep  furrows  on 
his  cheeks,  but  he  was  still  a  hale  and  active  man.  He 
had  served  many  years  on  board  of  a  man-of-war,  and 
had  been  in  every  climate :  he  had  many  strange 
stories  to  tell,  and  he  might  be  believed  even  when  his 
stories  were  strange,  for  he  would  not  tell  an  untruth. 
He  could  navigate  a  vessel,  and,  of  course,  he  could 
read  and  write ;  he  had  read  his  Bible  over  and  over 
again.  The  name  of  Ready  was  very  well  suited  to 
him,  for  he  was  seldom  at  a  loss ;  and  in  case  of  diffi- 
culty and  danger,  the  captain  would  not  hesitate  to 


MASTERMAN  READY.  5 

ask  his  opinion,  and  frequently  take  his  advice.  He 
was  on  board  as  second  mate  of  the  vessel. 

The  Pacific  was,  as  we  have  before  observed,  a  very 
fine  ship,  and  well  able  to  contend  with  the  most 
violent  storms.  She  was  of  more  than  four  hundred 
tons  burden,  and  was  then  making  a  passage  out  to 
New  South  Wales,  with  a  valuable  cargo  of  English 
hardware,  cutlery,  and  other  manufactures.  The 
captain  was  a  good  navigator  and  seaman,  and  more- 
over a  good  man,  of  a  cheerful,  happy  disposition, 
always  making  the  best  of  everything,  and  when  acci- 
dents did  happen,  always  more  inclined  to  laugh  than 
to  look  grave.  His  name  was  Osborn.  The  first 
mate,  whose  name  was  Mackintosh,  was  a  Scotchman, 
rough  and  ill-tempered,  but  paying  strict  attention  to 
his  duty — a  man  that  Captain  Osborn  could  trust,  but 
whom  he  did  not  like. 

Ready  we  have  already  spoken  of,  and  it  will  not  be 
necessary  to  say  anything  about  the  seamen  on  board, 
except  that  there  were  thirteen  of  them,  hardly  a  suffi- 
cient number  to  man  so  large  a  vessel ;  but  just  as  they 
were  about  to  sail,  five  of  the  seamen,  who  did  not  like 
the  treatment  they  had  received  from  Mackintosh, 
the  first  mate,  had  left  the  ship,  and  Captain  Osborn 
did  not  choose  to  wait  until  he  could  obtain  others  in 
their  stead.  This  proved  unfortunate,  as  the  events 
which  we  shall  hereafter  relate  will  show. 


MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   PASSENGEB8   IN   THE   PACIFIC. 

MASTER  "WILLIAM,  whom  we  have  introduced  to  the 
reader,  was  the  eldest  boy  of  a  family  who  were 
passengers  on  board,  consisting  of  the  father,  mother, 
and  four  children  :  his  father  was  a  Mr.  Seagrave,  a 
very  well-informed,  clever  man,  who  having  for  many 
years  held  an  office  under  government  at  Sydney,  the 
principal  town  in  New  South  Wales,  was  now  return- 
ing from  a  leave  of  absence  of  three  years.  He  had 
purchased  from  the  government  several  thousand  acres 
of  land ;  it  had  since  risen  very  much  in  value,  and  the 
sheep  and  cattle  which  he  had  put  on  it  were  proving 
a  source  of  great  profit.  His  property  had  been  well 
managed  by  the  person  who  had  charge  of  it  during 
his  absence  in  England,  and  he  was  now  taking  out 
with  him  a  variety  of  articles  of  every  description  for 
its  improvement,  and  for  his  own  use,  such  as  furniture 
for  his  house,  implements  of  agriculture,  seeds,  plants, 
cattle,  and  many  other  things  too  numerous  to 
mention. 

Mrs.  Seagrave  was  an  amiable  woman,  but  not  in 
very  strong  health.  The  family  consisted  of  William, 
who  was  the  eldest,  a  clever,  steady  boy,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  full  of  mirth  and  humor :  Thomas,  who  was  six 


MASTERMAN  READY.  7 

years  old,  a  very  thoughtless,  but  good-tempered  boy, 
full  of  mischief  and  always  in  a  scrape ;  Caroline,  a 
little  girl  of  seven  years ;  and  Albert,  a  fine,  strong 
little  fellow,  who  was  not  one  year  old  :  he  was  under 
the  charge  of  a  black  girl  who  had  come  from  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  to  Sidney,  and  had  followed  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  to  England.  We  have  now  mentioned  all  the 
people  on  board  of  the  Pacific:  perhaps  we  ought 
not  to  forget  two  shepherd's  dogs,  belonging  to  Mr. 
Seagrave,  and  a  little  terrier,  which  was  a  great  favorite 
of  Captain  Osborn,  to  whom  she  belonged.  And  now 
we  will  proceed :  It  was  not  until  the  fourth  day  from 
its  commencement  that  the  gale  abated,  and  then  it 
gradually  subsided  until  it  was  nearly  a  calm.  The 
men  who  had  been  watching  night  after  night  during 
the  gale  now  brought  all  their  clothes  which  had  been 
drenched  by  the  rain  and  spray,  and  hung  them  up  in 
the  rigging  to  dry :  the  sails  also,  which  had  been 
furled  and  saturated  by  the  wet,  were  now  loosened 
and  spread  out  that  they  might  not  be  mildewed.  The 
wind  blew  mild  and  soft,  the  sea  had  gone  down,  and 
the  ship  was  running  through  the  water  at  the  speed 
of  about  four  miles  an  hour.  Mrs.  Seagrave,  wrapped 
up  in  a  cloak,  was  seated  upon  one  of  the  arm-chests 
near  the  stern  of  the  ship,  her  husband  and  children 
were  all  with  her,  enjoying  the  fine  weather,  when 
Captain  Osborn,  who  had  been  taking  an  observation 
of  the  sun  with  his  sextant,  came  up  to  them. 

"  Well,  Master  Tommy,  you  are  very  glad  that  the 
gale  is-  over  ?" 

"  I  didn't  care,"  replied  Tommy,  "  only  I  spilled  all 
my  soup.  But  Juno  tumbled  off  her  chair,  and  rolled 
away  with  the  baby,  till  papa  picked  them  both  up." 


g  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"It  was  a  mercy  that  poor  Albert  was  not  billed," 
observed  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"And  so  he  might  have  been,  if  Juno  had  not 
thought  only  of  him  and  nothing  at  all  about  herself," 
replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"That's  very  true,  sir,"  replied  Captain  Osborn. 
"  She  saved  the  child,  and,  I  fear,  hurt  herself." 

"  1  thump  my  head  very  hard,"  said  Juno,  smiling. 

"  Yes,  and  it's  lucky  that  you  have  a  good,  thick, 
woolly  coat  over  it,"  replied  Captain  Osborn,  laughing. 
"  Never  mind,  Juno,  you  are  a  good  girl." 

"  It  is  twelve  o'clock  by  the  sun,  sir,"  said  Mackin- 
tosh, the  first  mate,  to  the  captain. 

"  Then  bring  me  up  the  latitude,  Mr.  Mackintosh, 
while  I  work  out  the  longitude  from  the  sights  which 
I  took  this  morning.  In  five  minutes,  Mr.  Seagrave,  I 
shall  be  ready  to  prick  off  over  our  place  on  the  chart." 

"  Here  are  the  clogs  come  up  on  deck,"  said  William ; 
"  I  dare  say  they  are  as  glad  of  the  fine  weather  as  we 
are.  Come  here,  Romulus !  Here,  Remus ! — Remus !" 

"  "Well,  sir,"  said  Ready,  who  was  standing  by  them, 
with  his  quadrant  in  his  hand,  "  I  should  like  to  ask 
you  a  question.  Those  dogs  of  yours  have  two  very 
odd  names  which  I  never  heard  before.  Who  were 
Romulus  and  Remus  ?" 

"  Romulus  and  Remus,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  were 
the  names  of  two  shepherds,  brothers,  who  in  ancient 
days  founded  the  city  of  Rome,  which  eventually  be- 
came the  largest  and  most  celebrated  empire  in  the 
world.  They  were  the  first  kings  of  Rome,  and  reigned 
together." 

"And  they  were  suckled  by  a  wolf,  Ready,"  con- 
tinued William ;  "  what  do  you  think  of  that  ?" 


MASTERMAN  READY.  9 

"  It  was  a  queer  kind  of  wet-nurse,  Master  William,1' 
replied  Ready. 

"  And  Romulus  killed  Remus,"  said  William. 

"  No  wonder,  after  the  way  he  was  brought  up, 
Master  William,"  answered  Ready ;  "but  why  did  he 
kill  him?" 

"  For  jumping  too  high,"  replied  William,  laughing. 

"  Is  Master  William  joking  ?"  said  Ready,  appealing 
to  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  he  is  and  he  is  not.  History  says  that  Remus 
affronted  Romulus  by  leaping  over  a  wall  he  had 
raised,  and  Romulus,  in  his  anger,  took  away  his  life ; 
but  the  history  of  early  days  is  not  to  be  depended  upon." 

"No,  nor  the  brothers,  either,  it  appears,"  replied 
Ready  ;  "  however,  it  is  the  old  story — two  of  a  trade 
can  never  agree.  One  sometimes  hears  of  Rome  now 
— is  that  the  same  place  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  William,  "  it  is  the  remains  of  the  old 
city." 

"  Well,  one  lives  and  learns,"  said  Ready ;  "  I  have 
learned  something  to-day,  which  every  one  will  to  the 
last  day  of  his  life,  if  he  will  only  ask  questions.  I'm 
an  old  man,  and  perhaps  don't  know  much,  except  in  a 
seafaring  way ;  but  I  should  have  known  much  less  if 
I  did  not  ask  for  information,  and  was  not  ashamed  to 
acknowledge  my  ignorance ;  that's  the  way  to  learn, 
Master  William." 

"  Yery  good  advice,  Ready — and,  William,  I  hope 
you  will  profit  by  it,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  never  be 
ashamed  to  ask  the  meaning  of  what  you  do  not  under- 
stand." 

"  I  always  do,  papa.  Do  I  not  ask  you  questions, 
Ready?" 


10  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Yes,  you  do,  and  very  clever  questions  for  a  boy  of 
your  age,  Master  William;  and  I  only  wish  that  I 
could  answer  them  better  than  I  can  sometimes." 

"  I  should  like  to  go  down  now,  my  dear,"  said  Mrs. 
Seagrave;  "  perhaps  Ready  will  see  the  baby  down  safe." 

"  That  I  will,  ma'am,"  said  Ready,  putting  his  quad- 
rant on  the  capstan :  "  now,  Juno,  give  me  the  child, 
and  go  down  first— stern  foremost,  you  stupid  girl ! 
how  often  do  I  tell  you  that  ?  Some  day  or  another 
you  will  come  down  with  a  run." 

"  And  break  my  head,"  said  Juno. 

"  Yes,  or  break  your  arm  ;  and  then  who  is  to  hold 
the  child?" 

As  soon  as  they  were  down  in  the  cabin  the  captain 
and  Mr.  Seagrave  marked  the  position  of  the  vessel  on 
the  chart,  and  found  that  they  were  one  hundred  and 
thirty  miles  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

"  If  the  wind  holds,  we  shall  be  in  to-morrow,"  said 
Mr.  Seagrave  to  his  wife.  "  Juno,  perhaps  you  may  see 
your  father  and  mother  " 

Poor  Juno  shook  her  head,  and  a  tear  or  two  stole 
down  her  dark  cheek.  "With  a  mournful  face  she  told 
them  that  her  father  and  mother  belonged  to  a  Dutch 
boor,  who  had  gone  with  them  many  miles  into  the 
interior :  she  had  been  parted  from  them  when  quite 
a  little  child,  and  had  been  left  at  Cape  Town. 

"  But  you  are  free,  now,  Juno,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave ; 
"  you  have  been  to  England,  and  whoever  puts  his  foot 
on  shore  in  England  becomes  from  that  moment  free." 

"Yes,  missy,  I  free;  but  still  I  have  no  fader  or 
moder,"  replied  Juno,  weeping.  But  little  Albert  pat- 
ted her  cheek,  and  she  was  soon  smiling  again,  and 
playing  with  the  little  boy. 


MASTERM AN  READY.  \\ 


CHAPTEK  III. 

ADVENTURE     WITH    A   LION. 

THE  next  morning  the  Pacific  arrived  at  the  Cape 
and  anchored  in  Table  Bay. 

"  Why  do  they  call  this  Table  Bay,  Eeady  ?"  said 
William. 

"  I  suppose  it's  because  they  call  that  great  mountain 
the  Table  Mountain,  Master  William;  you  see  how 
flat  the  mountain  is  on  the  top." 

"  Yes,  it  is  quite  as  flat  as  a  table." 

"  Yes,  and  sometimes  you  will  see  the  white  clouds 
rolling  down  over  the  top  of  it  in  a  very  curious  man- 
ner, and  that  the  sailors  call  spreading  the  tablecloth  : 
it  is  a  sign  of  bad  weather." 

"  Then  I  hope  they  will  not  spread  the  tablecloth 
while  we  are  here,  Eeady,"  said  William,  "  for  I  shall 
certainly  have  no  appetite.  We  have  had  bad  weather 
enough  already,  and  mamma  suffers  so  much  from  it. 
What  a  pretty  place  it  is !" 

"  We  shall  remain  here  two  days,  sir,"  said  Captain 
Osborn  to  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  if  you  and  Mrs.  Seagrave 
would  like  to  go  on  shore." 

"  I  will  go  down  and  ask  Mrs.  Seagrave,"  said  her 
husband,  who  went  down  the  ladder,  followed  by 
William. 

Upon  the  question  being  put  to  Mrs.  Seagrave,  she 


12  MASTERM rAN READY. 

replied  that  she  was  quite  satisfied  with  the  ship  hav. 
ing  no  motion,  and  did  not  feel  herself  equal  to  going 
on  shore;  it  was  therefore  decided  that  she  should 
remain  on  board  with  the  two  younger  children,  and 
that,  on  the  following  day,  Mr.  Seagrave  should  take 
"William  and  Tommy  to  see  Cape  Town,  and  return  on 
board  before  night. 

The  next  morning  Captain  Osborn  lowered  down 
one  of  the  large  boats,  and  Mr.  Seagrave,  accompanied 
by  Captain  Osborn,  went  on  shore  with  William  and 
Tommy.  Tommy  had  promised  his  mamma  to  be 
very  good ;  but  that  he  always  did,  and  almost  always 
forgot  his  promise  directly  he  was  out  of  sight.  As 
soon  as  they  landed  they  went  up  to  a  gentleman's 
house,  with  whom  Captain  Osborn  was  acquainted. 
They  stayed  a  few  minutes  to  drink  a  glass  of  lemon- 
ade, for  it  was  very  warm  ;  and  then  it  was  proposed 
that  they  should  go  to  the  Company's  Gardens  and 
see  the  wild  beasts  which  were  confined  there,  at  which 
William  was  much  delighted,  and  Tommy  clapped  his 
hands  with  joy. 

"  What  are  the  Company's  Gardens,  papa  ?"  inquired 
William. 

"They  were  made  by  the  Dutch  East  India  Com- 
pany, at  the  time  that  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  in 
their  possession.  They  are,  properly  speaking,  botan- 
ical gardens ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  the  wild  animals 
are  kept  there.  Formerly  there  were  a  great  many, 
but  they  have  not  been  paid  attention  to  lately,  for  we 
have  plenty  of  these  animals  in  England  now." 

"  What  shall  we  see?"  said  Tommy. 

"  You  will  see  lions,  Tommy,  a  great  many  in  a  large 
den  together,"  said  Captain  Osborn. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  13 

"  Oh !  I  want  to  see  a  lion." 

"  You  must  not  go  too  near  them,  recollect." 

"  No,  I  won't,"  said  Tommy. 

As  soon  as  they  entered  the  gates  Tommy  escaped 
from  Captain  Osborn,  and  ran  away  in  his  hurry  to 
see  the  lions ;  but  Captain  Osborn  caught  him  again, 
and  held  him  fast  by  the  hand. 

"  Here  is  a  pair  of  very  strange  birds,"  said  the  gen- 
tleman who  accompanied  them ;  "  they  are  called  sec- 
retaries, on  account  of  the  feathers  which  hang  behind 
their  heads,  as  the  feather  of  a  pen  does  when  a  clerk 
puts  it  behind  his  ear :  but  they  are  very  useful,  for 
they  are  snake-killers;  indeed,  they  would,  if  they 
could,  live  altogether  upon  snakes,  which  they  are  very 
great  enemies  to,  never  letting  one  escape.  They  strike 
them  with  their  feet,  and  with  such  force  as  to  kill 
them  immediately." 

"Are  there  many  snakes  in  this  country  ?"  inquired 
"William. 

"  Yes,  and  very  venomous  snakes,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  "  so  that  these  birds  are  very  useful  in  destroy- 
ing them.  You  observe,  William,  that  the  Almighty, 
in  His  wisdom,  has  so  arranged  it  that  no  animal  (espe- 
cially of  a  noxious  kind)  shall  be  multiplied  to  excess, 
but  kept  under  by  being  preyed  upon  by  some  other ; 
indeed,  wherever  in  any  country  an  animal  exists  in 
any  quantity,  there  is  generally  found  another  animal 
which  destroys  it.  The  secretary  inhabits  this  country, 
where  snakes  exist  in  numbers,  that  it  may  destroy 
them :  in  England  the  bird  would  be  of  little  value." 

"  But  some  animals  are  too  large  or  too  fierce  to  be 
destroyed  by  others,  papa ;  for  instance,  the  elephant 
and  the  lion." 


u  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Very  true ;  but  these  larger  animals  do  not  breed 
so  fast,  and  therefore  their  numbers  do  not  increase  so 
rapidly.  For  instance,  a  pair  of  elephants  will  not 
have  more  than  one  young  one  in  the  space  of  two 
years  or  more;  while  the  rabbits,  which  are  preyed 
upon  and  the  food  of  so  many  other  beasts  as  well  as 
birds,  would  increase  enormously  if  they  were  not  de- 
stroyed. I  have  read  that  a  pair  of  rabbits,  from  them- 
selves and  their  progeny  also  breeding  so  fast,  will 
arrive  to  many  hundreds  in  the  course  of  a  single  year. 
Examine  through  the  whole  of  creation,  and  you  will 
find  that  there  is  an  unerring  hand,  which  invariably 
preserves  the  balance  exact ;  and  that  there  are  no  more 
mouths  than  for  which  food  is  provided,  although  ac- 
cidental circumstances  may  for  a  time  occasion  a  slight 
alteration." 

They  continued  their  walk  until  they  came  to  the 
den  of  the  lions.  It  was  a  large  place,  inclosed  with 
a  strong  and  high  wall  of  stone,  with  only  one  window 
to  it  for  the  visitors  to  look  at  them,  as  it  was  open 
above.  This  window  was  wide,  and  with  strong  iron 
bars  running  from  the  top  to  the  bottom ;  but  the 
width  between  the  bars  was  such  that  a  lion  could  put 
his  paw  out  with  ease ;  and  they  were  therefore  cau- 
tioned not  to  go  too  near.  It  was  a  fine  sight  to  see 
eight  or  ten  of  these  noble-looking  animals  lying  down 
in  various  attitudes,  quite  indifferent  apparently  to  the 
people  outside — basking  in  the  sun,  and  slowly  moving 
their  tufted  tails  to  and  fro.  William  examined  them 
at  a  respectful  distance  from  the  bars;  and  so  did 
Tommy,  who  had  his  mouth  open  with  astonishment, 
in  which  there  was  at  first  not  a  little  fear  mixed,  but 
he  soon  got  bolder.  The  gentleman  who  had  accom- 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  15 

panied  them,  and  who  had  been  long  at  the  Cape,  was 
relating  to  Mr.  Seagrave  and  Captain  Osborn  some 
very  curious  anecdotes  about  the  lion.  "William  and 
they  were  so  interested  that  they  did  not  perceive  that 
Tommy  had  slipped  back  to  the  grated  window  of 
their  den.  Tommy  looked  at  the  lions,  and  then  he 
wanted  to  make  them  move  about :  there  was  one  fine 
full-grown  young  lion,  about  three  years  old,  who  was 
lying  down  nearest  to  the  window  ;  and  Tommy  took 
up  a  stone  and  threw  it  at  him :  the  lion  appeared  not 
to  notice  it,  for  he  did  not  move,  although  he  fixed  his 
eyes  upon  Tommy ;  so  Tommy  became  more  brave* 
and  threw  another,  and  then  another,  approaching  each 
time  nearer  to  the  bars  of  the  window. 

All  of  a  sudden  the  lion  gave  a  tremendous  roar,  and 
sprang  at  Tommy,  bounding  against  the  iron  bars  of 
the  cage  with  such  force  that,  had  they  not  been  very 
strong,  it  must  have  broken  them.  As  it  was,  they 
shook  and  rattled  so  that  pieces  of  mortar  fell  from  the 
stones.  Tommy  shrieked,  and,  fortunately  for  himself, 
fell  back  and  tumbled  head  over  heels,  or  the  lion's 
paws  would  have  reached  him.  Captain  Osborn  and 
Mr.  Seagrave  ran  up  to  Tommy,  and  picked  him  up : 
he  roared  with  fright  as  soon  as  he  could  fetch  his 
breath,  while  the  lion  stood  at  the  bars  lashing  his  tail, 
snarling,  and  showing  his  enormous  fangs. 

"  Take  me  away !  take  me  on  board  the  ship !"  cried 
Tommy,  who  was  terribly  frightened. 

"  What  did  you  do,  Tommy  ?"  said  Captain  Osborn. 

"  I  won't  throw  any  more  stones,  Mr.  Lion ;  I  won't, 
indeed,"  cried  Tommy,  looking  terrified  toward  the 
animal. 

Mr.  Seagrave  scolded  Tommy  well  for  his  foolish 


16  MABTERMAN  READY. 

conduct,  and  by  degrees  he  became  more  composed ; 
but  he  did  not  recover  himself  until  they  had  walked 
some  distance  away  from  the  lion's  den. 

They  then  looked  at  the  other  animals  which  were 
to  be  seen ;  Tommy  keeping  a  most  respectful  distance 
from  every  one  of  them.  He  wouldn't  even  go  near  to 
a  Cape  sheep  with  a  broad  tail. 

"When  they  had  seen  everything,  they  went  back  to 
the  gentleman's  house  to  dinner ;  and,  after  dinner, 
they  returned  on  board,  when  Tommy's  adventure 
with  the  lion  was  told  to  his  mother,  who  declared 
that  she  never  should  be  able  to  trust  him  out  of  her 
sight. 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  17 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   TEMPEST. 

THE  following  morning  the  fresh  water  and  provi- 
sions were  received  on  board,  and  once  more  the 
Pacific  stretched  her  broad  canvas  to  the  winds, 
and  there  was  every  prospect  of  a  rapid  voyage,  as  for 
many  days  she  continued  her  passage  with  a  fair  wind 
and  flowing  sheet.  But  this  did  not  continue :  it  fell 
calm,  and  remained  so  for  nearly  three  days,  during 
which  not  a  breath  of  wind  was  to  be  seen  on  the  wide 
expanse  of  water  ;  all  nature  appeared  as  if  in  repose, 
except  that  now  and  then  an  albatross  would  drop 
down  at  some  distance  from  the  stern  of  the  vessel,  and, 
as  he  swam  lazily  along  with  his  wings  half-furled,  pick 
up  the  fragments  of  food  which  had  been  thrown  over 
the  side. 

"  What  great  bird  is  that,  Ready  ?"  inquired 
William. 

"  It  is  an  albatross,  Master  William,  the  largest  sea- 
bird  we  have.  Their  wings  are  very  long.  I  have 
seen  them  shot,  and  they  have  measured  eleven  feet 
from  the  tip  of  one  wing  to  the  tip  of  the  other  when 
the  wings  have  been  spread  out." 

"  It  is  the  first  one  that  I  have  seen,"  said  William. 

"  Because  you  seldom  meet  them  north  of  the  Cape, 
sir :  people  do  say  that  they  go  to  sleep  on  the  wing, 
balancing  themselves  high  up  in  the  air." 


18  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Papa,"  said  William,  turning  to  Mr.  Seagrave,  who 
stood  by,  "  why  is  it  that  one  bird  can  swim  and 
another  cannot  ?  You  recollect  when  Tommy  drove 
the  hens  into  the  large  pond,  they  flounced  about,  and 
their  feathers  became  wet,  and  would  support  them  no 
longer,  and  then  they  were  drowned.  Now,  how  does 
a  sea-bird  contrive  to  remain  so  long  on  the  water  ?" 

"  Because  a  sea-bird,  William,  is  provided  with  a  sort 
of  oil  on  purpose  to  anoint  the  outside  of  its  feathers, 
and  this  oil  prevents  the  water  from  penetrating  them. 
Have  you  not  observed  the  ducks  on  shore  dressing 
their  feathers  with  their  bills  ?  They  were  then  using 
this  oil  to  make  their  feathers  waterproof." 

"  How  odd !" 

"  Don't  say  how  odd,  William ;  that  is  not  an  ex- 
pression to  use  when  we  talk  of  the  wonderful  provi- 
sions made  by  the  Almighty  hand,  who  neglects  not 
the  meanest  of  His  creatures — say,  rather  how  won- 
derful !" 

"  That's  very  true,  sir,"  observed  Ready  ;  "  but  still 
you  must  not  be  too  hard  upon  Master  William,  for  I 
have  heard  many  a  grown-up  man  make  use  of  the 
same  expression." 

"They  were  not  better  taught  when  they  were 
young,  Ready." 

"  Perhaps  so,  sir ;  and  Master  William  should  be 
thankful  that  he  has  a  father  who  does  take  the 
trouble.  But  here  comes  Juno  to  tell  you  that  tea  is 
ready." 

On  the  third  day  of  the  calm  the  barometer  fell  so 
low  as  to  induce  Captain  Osborn  to  believe  that  they 
should  have  a  severe  gale,  and  every  preparation  was 
made  to  meet  it,  should  it  come  on.  Nor  was  he  mis- 


MASTERMA N  READ  T.  19 

taken  :  toward  midnight  the  clouds  gathered  up  fast, 
and  as  they  gathered  up  in  thick  piles  heaped  one  over 
the  other,  the  lightning  darted  through  them  in  every 
direction  ;  and  as  the  clouds  rose  up,  so  did  the  wind, 
but  at  first  only  in  heavy  gusts,  and  then  lulling  again 
to  a  calm. 

"  Keady,"  said  Captain  Osborn,  "  how  do  you  think 
we  shall  have  the  wind  ?" 

"  Why,  Captain  Osborn,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  don't 
think  it  will  be  steady  to  one  point  long.  It  may  at 
first  blow  hard  from  the  north,  but  it's  my  idea  it  will 
shift  soon  to  some  other  quarter,  and  blow  still 
harder." 

"  What  think  you,  Mackintosh  ?" 

"  We'll  have  plenty  of  it,  and  a  long,  steady  gale, 
that's  my  notion ;  and  the  sooner  we  ship  the  dead- 
lights the  better." 

Mr.  Seagrave,  with  William,  happened  to  be  standing 
by  at  the  time  of  this  conversation,  and  at  the  term 
dead-lights  Willy's  face  expressed  some  anxiety.  Keady 
perceived  it,  and  said  : 

"That's  a  foolish  name  they  give  to  the  shutters 
which  go  over  the  cabin  windows  to  prevent  the  water 
from  breaking  into  the  cabin  when  a  vessel  sails  before 
the  wind ;  you  know  we  had  them  on  the  last  time  that 
we  had  a  gale,  so  don't  you  go  down  to  frighten  your 
mother  by  telling  her  that  the  deadlights  are  shipped." 

"  I  was  not  afraid,  Eeady,  but  I  was  thinking  of  my 
mother,  I  acknowledge ;  she  has  been  so  very  weak 
these  last  two  days." 

"  But,  Ready,"  said  Captain  Osborn,  "  why  do  you 
think  that  we  shall  have  a  shift  of  wind  ?" 

"  Well,  I  don't  know ;  perhaps  I  was  wrong,"  replied 


20  M ASTERN  AN  READY. 

the  old  man,  "  and  Mr.  Mackintosh  is  right :  the  wind 
does  seem  to  come  steady  from  the  northeast,  that's 
certain;"  and  Ready  walked  away  to  the  binnacle, 
and  looked  at  the  compass.  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William 
then  went  below,  and  Mr.  Mackintosh  went  forward 
to  give  his  orders.  As  soon  as  they  were  all  gone 
Ready  went  up  again  to  Captain  Osborn,  and  said : 

"  Captain  Osborn,  it's  not  for  me  to  contradict  Mr. 
Mackintosh,  but  that's  of  little  consequence  in  a  time 
like  this  :  I  should  have  held  to  my  opinion,  had  it  not 
been  that  the  gentleman  passenger  and  his  son  were 
standing  by,  but  now,  as  the  coast  is  clear,  I  tell  you 
that  we  shall  have  something  worse  than  a  gale  of 
wind.  I  have  been  in  these  latitudes  before,  and  I  am 
an  old  seaman,  as  you  know.  There's  something  in 
the  air,  and  there  has  been  something  during  the  last 
three  days  of  calm,  which  reminds  me  too  well  of  what 
I  have  seen  here  before ;  and  I  am  sure  that  we  shall 
have  little  better  than  a  hurricane,  as  far  as  wind  goes 
— and  worse  in  one  point,  that  it  will  last  much  longer 
than  hurricanes  generally  do.  I  have  been  watching, 
and  even  the  birds  tell  me  so,  and  they  are  told  by 
their  nature,  which  is  never  mistaken.  That  calm  has 
been  nothing  more  than  a  repose  of  the  winds  previous 
to  their  being  roused  up  to  do  their  worst ;  and  that  is 
my  real  opinion." 

"  Well,  and  I'm  inclined  to  agree  with  you,  Ready, 
so  we  must  send  topgallant  yards  down  on  deck,  and 
all  the  small  sails  and  lumber  out  of  the  tops.  Get  the 
trysail  aft  and  bent,  and  lower  down  the  gaff.  I  will 
go  forward." 

They  had  no  time  to  lose ;  their  preparations  were 
hardly  complete  before  the  wind  had  settled  to  a  fierce 


M ASTERN  AN  READY.  21 

gale  from  the  northeast.  The  sea  rose  rapidly  ;  topsail 
after  topsail  was  furled,  and  by  dusk  the  Pacific 
was  flying  through  the  water  with  the  wind  on  her 
quarter,  under  reefed  foresail  and  storm  staysail.  It 
was  with  difficulty  that  three  men  at  the  wheel  could 
keep  the  helm,  such  were  the  blows  which  the  vessel 
received  from  the  heavy  seas  on  the  quarter.  Not  one 
seaman  in  the  ship  took  advantage  of  his  watch  below 
to  go  to  sleep  that  night,  careless  as  they  generally 
are ;  the  storm  was  too  dreadful.  About  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  the  wind  suddenly  subsided ;  it  was  but 
for  a  minute  or  two,  and  then  it  again  burst  on  the 
vessel  from  another  quarter  of  the  compass,  as  Keady 
had  foretold,  splitting  the  foresail  into  fragments, 
which  lashed  and  flogged  the  wind  till  they  were  torn 
away  by  it,  and  carried  far  to  leeward.  The  heavens 
above  were  of  a  pitchy  darkness,  and  the  only  light 
was  from  the  creaming  foam  of  the  sea  on  every  side. 
The  shift  of  wind,  which  had  been  to  the  west-north- 
west, compelled  them  to  alter  the  course  of  the  vessel, 
for  they  had  no  chance  but  to  scud,  as  they  now  did, 
under  bare  poles ;  but  in  consequence  of  the  sea  having 
taken  its  run  from  the  former  wind,  which  had  been 
northeast,  it  was,  as  sailors  call  it,  cross,  and  every 
minute  the  waves  poured  over  the  ship,  sweeping  all 
before  their  weight  of  waters.  One  poor  man  was 
washed  overboard,  and  any  attempt  made  to  save  him 
would  have  been  unavailing.  Captain  Osborn  was 
standing  by  the  weather  gunnel,  holding  on  by  one  of 
the  belaying  pins,  when  he  said  to  Mackintosh,  who 
was  near  him : 

"  How  long  will  this  last,  think  you  ?" 


22  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"Longer  than  the  ship  will,"  replied  the  mate 
gravely. 

"  I  should  hope  not,"  replied  the  captain ;  "  still,  it 
cannot  look  worse.  What  do  you  think,  Keady  ?" 

"  Far  more  fear  from  above  than  from  below  just 
now,"  replied  Ready,  pointing  to  the  yardarms  of  the 
ship,  to  each  of  which  were  little  balls  of  electric  mat- 
ter attached,  flaring  out  to  a  point.  "  Look  at  those 
two  clouds,  sir,  rushing  at  each  other ;  if  I— 

Ready  had  not  time  to  finish  what  he  would  have 
said  before  a  blaze  of  light,  so  dazzling  that  it  left 
them  all  in  utter  darkness  for  some  seconds  afterward, 
burst  upon  their  vision,  accompanied  with  a  peal  of 
thunder  at  which  the  whole  vessel  trembled  fore  and 
aft.  A  crash — a  rushing  forward — and  a  shriek  were 
heard,  and  when  they  had  recovered  their  eyesight 
the  foremast  had  been  rent  by  the  lightning  as  if  it 
had  been  a  lath,  and  the  ship  was  in  flames ;  the  men 
at  the  wheel,  blinded  by  the  lightning,  as  well  as  ap- 
palled, could  not  steer;  the  ship  broached  to — away 
went  the  mainmast  over  the  side — and  all  was  wreck, 
confusion,  and  dismay. 

Fortunately  the  heavy  seas  which  poured  over  the 
forecastle  soon  extinguished  the  flames,  or  they  all 
must  have  perished;  but  the  ship  lay  now  helpless, 
and  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves  beating  violently 
against  the  wrecks  of  the  masts  which  floated  to  lee- 
ward, but  were  still  held  fast  to  the  vessel  by  their 
rigging.  As  soon  as  they  could  recover  from  the 
shock,  Ready  and  the  first  mate  hastened  to  the  wheel 
to  try  to  get  the  ship  before  the  wind ;  but  this  they 
could  not  do,  as,  the  foremast  and  mainmast  being 
gone,  the  mizzenmast  prevented  her  paying  off  and  an- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  23 

swering  to  the  helm.  Ready,  having  persuaded  two 
of  the  men  to  take  the  helm,  made  a  sign  to  Mackin- 
tosh (for  now  the  wind  was  so  loud  that  they  could 
not  hear  each  other  speak),  and,  going  aft,  they 
obtained  axes,  and  cut  away  the  mizzen-rigging ;  the 
mizzen-topmast  and  head  of  the  mizzenmast  went  over 
the  side,  and  then  the  stump  of  the  foremast  was  suf- 
ficient to  get  the  ship  before  the  wind  again.  Still, 
there  was  much  delay  and  much  confusion  before  they 
could  clear  away  the  wreck  of  the  masts ;  and,  as  soon 
as  they  could  make  inquiry,  they  found  that  four  of 
the  men  had  been  killed  by  the  lightning  and  the  fall 
of  the  foremast,  and  there  were  now  but  eight  remain- 
ing, besides  Captain  Osborn  and  his  two  mates. 


24  M ASTERN  AN  READY. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

READY'S    ADVICE. 

SAILORS  are  never  discouraged  by  danger  as  long  as 
they  have  any  chance  of  relieving  themselves  by  their 
own  exertions.  The  loss  of  their  shipmates,  so  in- 
stantaneously summoned  away — the  wrecked  state  of 
the  vessel — the  wild  surges  burying  them  beneath  their 
angry  waters — the  howling  of  the  wind — the  dazzling 
of  the  lightning,  and  the  pealing  of  the  thunder,  did 
not  prevent  them  from  doing  what  their  necessity  de- 
manded. Mackintosh,  the  first  mate,  rallied  the  men, 
and  contrived  himself  to  fix  a  block  and  strap  to  the 
still  smoking  stump  of  the  foremast ;  a  rope  was  rove 
through  the  block,  and  the  maintop-gallant  sail  hoisted, 
so  that  the  vessel  might  run  faster  before  the  gale,  and 
answer  her  helm  better  than  she  did. 

The  ship  was  again  before  the  wind,  and  compara- 
tively safe,  notwithstanding  the  heavy  blows  she  now 
received  from  the  pursuing  waves.  Night  again  came 
on,  but  there  was  no  repose,  and  the  men  were  worn 
out  with  exposure  and  fatigue.  Captain  Osborn  and 
Ready  had  often  gone  down  to  afford  some  assistance 
and  comfort  to  the  passengers  in  the  cabin.  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave,  worn  out  with  fear  and  anxiety,  had  become 
seriously  unwell,  and  her  husband  watched  her;  the 
children  were  persuaded  to  remain  in  their  beds,  and 


MASTERMAN  READY.  25 

the  infant  never  left  the  arms  of  the  patient  and  un- 
wearied Juno. 

The  third  day  of  the  gale  dawned,  but  the  appear- 
ances were  as  alarming  as  ever :  the  continual  breaking 
of  the  seas  over  the  stern  had  washed  away  the  bin- 
nacles, and  it  was  impossible  now  to  be  certain  of  the 
course  the  ship  had  been  steered,  or  the  distance  which 
had  been  run ;  the  leaky  state  of  the  vessel  proved 
how  much  she  had  already  suffered  from  the  violent 
shocks  which  she  had  received,  and  the  certainty  was 
apparent,  that  if  the  weather  did  not  abate,  she  could 
not  possibly  withstand  the  force  of  the  waves  much 
longer. 

The  countenance  of  Captain  Osborn  showed  great 
anxiety :  he  had  a  heavy  responsibility  on  his  shoulders 
— he  might  lose  a  valuable  ship,  and  still  more  valuable 
cargo,  even  if  they  did  not  all  lose  their  lives  ;  for  they 
were  now  approaching  where  the  sea  was  studded 
with  low  coral  islands,  upon  which  they  might  be 
thrown  by  the  waves  and  wind,  without  having  the 
slightest  power  to  prevent  it  in  their  present  disabled 
condition. 

Eeady  was  standing  by  him  when  Captain  Osborn 
said : 

"  I  don't  much  like  this,  Keady ;  we  are  now  running 
on  danger,  and  have  no  help  for  it." 

"  That's  true  enough,"  replied  Ready  ;  "  we  have  no 
help  for  it ;  it  is  God's  will,  sir,  and  His  will  be  done." 

"  Amen,"  replied  Captain  Osborn  solemnly ;  and 
then  he  continued,  after  a  pause  :  "  There  were  many 
captains  who  envied  me  when  I  obtained  command  of 
this  fine  ship — would  they  change  with  me  now  ?" 

"  I  should  rather  think  not,  Captain  Osborn,  but  you 


26  MASTERMAN  READY. 

never  know  what  the  day  may  bring  forth.  You 
sailed  with  this  vessel,  full  of  hope — you  now,  not 
without  reason,  feel  something  approaching  to  despair  ; 
but  who  knows  ?  it  may  please  the  Almighty  to  rebuke 
those  angry  winds  and  waves,  and  to-morrow  we  may 
again  hope  for  the  best ;  at  all  events  you  have  done 
your  duty — no  man  can  do  more.  I  do  wish  that  Mr. 
Mackintosh  would  not  swear  so  ;  I  always  think  that 
the  winds  blow  harder,  as  if  angry  that  their  Divine 
Master  should  be  defied  by  such  poor  worms  as  we 
are." 

"  You  are  right,"  replied  Captain  Osborn  ;  "  but  hold 
hard,  Ready,  that  sea's  aboard  of  us." 

Ready  had  just  time  to  cling  with  both  hands  to  the 
belaying  pins  when  the  sea  poured  over  the  vessel, 
with  a  volume  of  water  which  for  some  time  swept 
them  off  their  legs ;  they  clung  on  firmly,  and  at  last 
recovered  their  feet. 

"She  started  a  timber  or  two  with  that  blow,  I 
rather  think,"  said  Ready,  as  he  took  off  his  hat  to 
shake  the  water  from  it. 

"  I'm  afraid  so ;  the  best  vessel  ever  built  could  not 
stand  such  shocks  long,"  replied  Captain  Osborn; 
"  and  at  present,  with  our  weak  crew,  I  do  not  see 
that  we  can  get  more  sail  upon  her." 

All  that  night  the  ship  flew  in  darkness  before  the 
gale.  At  daybreak  the  wind  abated,  and  the  sea  went 
down;  the  ship  was,  however,  still  kept  before  the 
wind,  for  she  had  suffered  too  much  to  venture  to  put 
her  broadside  to  the  sea.  Preparations  were  now 
made  for  getting  up  jury-masts  ;  and  the  worn-out  sea- 
men were  busily  employed,  under  the  direction  of 


MASTERMAN  READY.  27 

Captain  Osborn  and  his  two  mates,  when  Mr.  Seagrave 
and  William  came  upon  deck. 

William  stared  about  him;  he  perceived,  to  his 
astonishment,  that  the  tall  masts,  with  all  their  rigging 
and  sails,  had  disappeared,  and  that  the  whole  deck 
was  in  a  state  of  confusion  and  disorder. 

"  See,  my  child,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  the  wreck  and 
devastation  which  are  here.  See  how  the  pride  of 
man  is  humbled  before  the  elements  of  the  great 
Jehovah." 

"  Ay,  Master  Willy,"  said  old  Ready,  "  look  arouna 
you,  as  you  well  may.  Do  you  remember  the  verses 
in  the  Bible? — if  not,  I  remember  them  well,  for  I 
have  often  read  them,  and  have  often  felt  the  truth  of 
them :  '  They  that  go  down  into  the  sea  in  ships,  that 
do  business  in  great  waters,  these  see  the  works  of  the 
Lord,  and  His  wonders  in  the  deep.'  " 

"  But,  father,"  said  Willy,  after  a  pause,  "  how  shall 
we  ever  get  to  Sydney  without  masts  or  sails  ?" 

"  Why,  Master  William,"  replied  Ready,  "  we  must 
do  what  we  can :  we  sailors  are  never  much  at  a  loss, 
and  I  dare  say  before  night  you  will  find  us  under 
some  sort  of  sail  again.  We  have  lost  our  great  masts, 
so  we  must  put  up  jury-masts,  as  we  call  them — that 
is,  little  ones,  and  little  sails  upon  them ;  and,  if  it 
pleases  God,  we  shall  see  Sydney  yet.  How  is 
madam,  sir?"  continued  Ready  to  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  is 
she  better  ?" 

"  I  fear  she  is  very  weak  and  ill,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave;  "nothing  but  fine  weather  will  do  her  any 
good.  Do  you  think  that  it  will  be  fine  now  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  fear  we  shall  have 
more  of  it  yet ;  I  have  not  given  my  thoughts  to  the 


28  MASTERMAN  READY. 

captain,  as  I  might  be  mistaken ;  but  still  I  think  so — 
I've  not  been  fifty  years  at  sea  without  learning  some- 
thing. I  don't  like  the  gathering  of  that  bank  there, 
Mr.  Seagrave,  and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  it  were  to 
blow  again  from  the  very  same  quarter,  and  that  be- 
fore dark." 

"  God's  will  be  done,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  I 
am  very  fearful  about  my  poor  wife,  who  is  completely 
worn  to  a  shadow." 

"I  shouldn't  think  so  much  about  that,  sir,  as  I 
really  never  knew  of  people  dying  that  way,  although 
they  suffer  much.  Master  William,  do  you  know  that 
we  have  lost  some  of  our  men  since  you  were  down 
below?" 

"No — I  heard  the  steward  say  something  outside 
about  the  foremast;  but  I  did  not  like  to  ask,  as 
mamma  was  so  frightened." 

"  You  were  a  kind  boy  for  that,  Master  William ; 
but  hear  me — we  have  lost  five  of  our  smartest  and 
best  men — Wilson  was  washed  overboard;  Fennings 
and  Masters  struck  dead  with  the  lightning ;  and  Jones 
and  Emery  crushed  by  the  fall  of  the  foremast.  Mas- 
ter William,  did  any  of  these  men  imagine,  when  they 
left  the  Cape,  or  indeed  the  day  or  the  hour  before  it 
happened,  that  their  souls  were  to  be  required  of  them, 
and  their  bodies  should  be  now  floating  hundreds  of 
miles  from  the  land  3  You  are  young,  Master  Willy, 
but  you  cannot  think  too  early  of  your  Maker,  or  call 
to  mind  what  they  say  in  the  burial  service — '  In  the 
midst  of  life  we  are  in  death.'  " 

"  Thank  you,  Ready — thank  you  for  the  lesson  you 
have  given  my  son,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  and,  William, 
treasure  it  up  in  your  memory." 


MABTERMAN  READY.  29 

"  Yes,  Master  William,  they  are  the  words  of  an  old 
man  who  has  seen  many  and  many  a  one  who  was  full 
of  youth  and  spirits  called  away  before  him,  and  who 
is  grateful  to  God  that  He  has  been  pleased  to  preserve 
his  life,  and  allow  him  to  amend  his  ways.  We  must 
seek  the  Lord  in  our  youth,  and  then  we  shall  be  pre- 
pared when  He  thinks  fit  to  summon  us  away." 

"  I  have  been  thinking,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  after  a 
silence  of  a  minute  or  two,  "  that  a  sailor  has  no  right 
to  marry." 

"I've  always  thought  so,  sir,"  replied  Keady ;  "and 
I  dare  say  many  a  poor  deserted  sailor's  wife,  when  she 
has  listened  to  the  wind  and  rain  in  her  lonely  bed, 
has  thought  the  same." 

"With  my  permission,"  continued  Mr.  Seagrave, 
"  my  boys  shall  never  go  to  sea  if  there  is  any  other 
profession  to  be  found  for  them." 

"  Well,  Mr.  Seagrave,  they  do  say  that  it's  no  use 
balking  a  lad  if  he  wishes  to  go  to  sea,  and  that,  if  he 
is  determined,  he  must  go.  Now  I  think  otherwise — I 
think  a  parent  has  a  right  to  say  no,  if  he  pleases,  upon 
that  point ;  for  you  see,  sir,  a  lad,  at  the  early  age  at 
which  he  goes  to  sea,  does  not  know  his  own  mind. 
Every  high-spirited  boy  wishes  to  go  to  sea — it's  quite 
natural ;  but  if  the  most  of  them  were  to  speak  the 
truth,  it  is  not  that  they  so  much  want  to  go  to  sea,  as 
that  they  want  to  go  from  school  or  from  home,  where 
they  are  under  the  control  of  their  masters  or  their 
parents." 

"  Very  true,  Keady ;  they  wish  to  be,  as  they  con- 
sider they  will  be,  independent." 

"  And  a  pretty  mistake  they  make  of  it,  sir.  Why, 
there  is  not  a  greater  slave  in  the  world  than  a  boy  who 


30  MASTERMAN  READY. 

goes  to  sea,  for  the  first  few  years  after  his  shipping : 
for  once  they  are  corrected  on  shore,  they  are  punished 
ten  times  at  sea,  and  they  never  again  meet  with  the 
love  and  affection  they  have  left  behind  them.  It  is  a 
hard  life,  and  there  have  been  but  few  who  have  not 
bitterly  repented  it,  and  who  would  not  have  returned, 
like  the  prodigal  son,  and  cast  themselves  at  their 
fathers'  feet,  only  that  they  have  been  ashamed." 

"  That's  the  truth,  Keady,  and  it  is  on  that  account 
that  I  consider  that  a  parent  is  justified  in  refusing  his 
consent  to  his  son  going  to  sea,  if  he  can  properly  pro- 
vide for  him  in  any  other  profession.  There  never 
will  be  any  want  of  sailors,  for  there  always  will  be 
plenty  of  poor  lads  whose  friends  can  do  no  better  for 
them ;  and  in  that  case  the  seafaring  life  is  a  good  one 
to  choose,  as  it  requires  no  other  capital  for  their  ad- 
vancement than  activity  and  courage." 

"  Exactly  what  I  thought  myself,  sir,"  replied  Ready. 
"  May  I  ask  how  Master  Tommy  and  the  other  children 
are,  and  poor  Juno  ?" 

"  They  are  all  quite  well,  although  they  have  been  a 
little  bruised  with  sliding  about,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  but  I  must  stay  here  no  longer,  Mrs.  Seagrave 
will  want  me  in  the  cabin.  William,  will  you  stay  on 
deck?" 

"  Better  not,  Master  William ;  we  are  all  too  busy, 
and  I  cannot  look  after  you  now :  there'll  be  no  sleep 
this  night  for  any  of  us,  fair  or  foul ;  we  are  weak- 
handed  now.  So  good-night,  gentlemen,  both  of  you." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  31 


CHAPTER  VI. 

LEFT    IN     THE     SHIP. 

MR.  SEAGRAVE  and  William  went  down  below  into 
the  cabin,  where  they  found  that  there  was  plenty  of 
employment ;  the  steward  had  brought  a  basin  of  very 
hot  pea-soup  for  the  children.  Tommy,  who  was  sit- 
ting up  in  the  bed-place  with  his  sister,  had  snatched 
it  out  of  Juno's  left  hand,  for  she  held  the  baby  with 
the  other,  and,  in  so  doing,  had  thrown  it  over  Caro- 
line, who  was  screaming  ;  while  Juno,  in  her  hurry  to 
assist  Caroline,  had  slipped  down  on  the  deck  with  the 
baby,  who  was  also  crying  with  fright,  although  not 
hurt.  Unfortunately,  Juno  had  fallen  down  upon 
Yixen  the  terrier,  who  in  return  had  bitten  her  in  the 
leg,  which  had  made  Juno  also  cry  out ;  while  Mrs. 
Seagrave  was  hanging  her  head  out  of  her  standing 
bed-place,  frightened  out  of  her  wits  at  the  accident, 
but  unable  to  be  of  any  assistance.  Fortunately,  Mr. 
Seagrave  came  down  just  in  time  to  pick  up  Juno  and 
the  baby,  and  then  tried  to  comfort  little  Caroline, 
who  after  all  was  not  much  scalded,  as  the  soup  had 
had  time  to  cool. 

"  Massa  Tommy  is  a  very  naughty  boy,"  cried  Juno, 
rubbing  her  leg.  Master  Tommy  thought  it  better  to 
say  nothing — he  was  duly  admonished — the  steward 
cleaned  up  the  mess,  and  order  was  at  length  restored. 


32  MASTERMAN  READY. 

In  the  meantime,  they  were  not  idle  upon  deck ;  the 
carpenter  was  busy  fixing  a  step  for  one  of  the  spare 
topmasts  instead  of  a  mainmast,  and  the  men  were 
fitting  the  rigging ;  the  ship,  unfortunately,  had  sprung 
a  leak,  and  four  hands  at  the  pumps  interfered  very 
much  with  their  task.  As  Ready  had  prophesied,  be- 
fore night  the  gale  blew,  the  sea  rose  again  with  the 
gale,  and  the  leaking  of  the  vessel  increased  so  much 
that  all  other  labor  was  suspended  for  that  at  the 
pump.  For  two  more  days  did  the  storm  continue, 
during  which  time  the  crew  were  worn  out  with  fatigue 
— they  could  pump  no  longer :  the  ship,  as  she  rolled, 
proved  that  she  had  a  great  deal  of  water  in  her  hold 
— when,  melancholy  as  were  their  prospects  already,  a 
new  disaster  took  place,  which  was  attended  with  most 
serious  results.  Captain  Osborn  was  on  the  forecastle 
giving  some  orders  to  the  men,  when  the  strap  of  the 
block  which  hoisted  up  the  maintop-gallant  yard  on 
the  stump  of  the  foremast  gave  way,  the  yard  and  sail 
came  down  on  the  deck,  and  struck  him  senseless.  As 
long  as  Captain  Osborn  commanded  them,  the  sailors 
had  so  high  an  opinion  of  his  abilities  as  a  seaman,  and 
were  so  encouraged  by  his  cheerful  disposition,  that 
they  performed  their  work  well  and  cheerfully  ;  but 
now  that  he  was,  if  not  killed,  at  all  events  senseless 
and  incapable  of  action,  they  no  longer  felt  themselves 
under  control.  Mackintosh  was  too  much  disliked  by 
the  seamen  to  allow  his  words  to  have  any  weight  with 
them.  They  were  regardless  of  his  injunctions  or 
requests,  and  they  now  consulted  among  themselves. 

"  The  gale  is  broke,  my  men,  and  we  shall  have  fine 
weather  now,"  observed  Ready,  going  up  to  the  sailors 
on  the  forecastle.  "  The  wind  is  going  down  fast." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  33 

"  Yes,"  replied  one  of  the  men,  "  and  the  ship  is 
going  down  fast,  that's  quite  as  certain." 

"  A  good  spell  at  the  pumps  would  do  us  some  good 
now,"  replied  Ready.  "  What  d'ye  say,  my  lads  ?" 

"  A  glass  of  grog  or  two  would  do  us  more,"  replied 
the  seamen.  "  What  d'ye  say,  my  boys  ?  I  don't  think 
that  the  captain  would  refuse  us,  poor  fellow,  if  he 
could  speak." 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do,  my  lads  ?"  inquired 
Mackintosh ;  "  not  get  drunk,  I  hope  ?" 

"  Why  not  ?"  observed  another  of  the  men ;  "  the 
ship  must  go  down  soon." 

l<  Perhaps  she  may — I  will  not  deny  it,"  said  Mac- 
kintosh ;  "  but  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  be 
saved :  now,  if  you  get  drunk,  there  is  no  chance  of 
any  one  being  saved,  and  my  life  is  precious  to  me. 
I'm  ready  to  join  with  you  in  anything  you  please,  and 
you  may  decide  what  is  to  be  done  ;  but  get  drunk  you 
shall  not,  if  I  can  help  it,  that's  certain." 

"  And  how  can  you  help  it  ?"  replied  one  of  the  sea- 
men surlily. 

"  Because  two  resolute  men  can  do  a  great  deal — I 
may  say  three,  for  in  this  instance  Ready  will  be  of 
my  side,  and  I  can  call  to  my  assistance  the  cabin 
passenger — recollect  the  firearms  are  all  in  the  cabin. 
But  why  should  we  quarrel  ?  say  at  once  what  you  in- 
tend to  do  ;  and  if  you  have  not  made  up  your  minds, 
will  you  listen  to  what  I  propose?" 

As  Mackintosh's  courage  and  determination  were 
well  known,  the  seamen  again  consulted  together,  and 
then  asked  him  what  he  proposed. 

"  We  have  one  good  boat  left,  the  new  yawl  on  the 
booms ;  the  others,  as  you  know,  are  washed  away 


34  MASTEEMAN  READY. 

with  the  exception  of  the  little  boat  astern,  which  is 
useless,  as  she  is  knocked  almost  to  pieces.  Now  we 
cannot  be  very  far  from  some  of  the  islands — indeed  I 
think  we  are  among  them  now.  Let  us  fit  out  the 
boat  with  everything  which  we  require,  go  about  our 
work  steadily  and  quietly,  drink  as  much  grog  now  as 
will  not  hurt  us,  and  take  a  good  provision  of  it  with 
us.  The  boat  is  complete  with  her  masts,  sails,  and 
oars ;  and  it's  very  hard  if  we  do  not  save  ourselves 
somewhere.  Ready,  do  I  give  good  advice  or  not  ?" 

"  You  give  very  good  advice,  Mackintosh — only  what 
is  to  become  of  the  cabin  passengers,  the  women,  and 
children  ?  And  are  you  going  to  leave  poor  Captain 
Osborn,  who  lays  there  abaft,  breathless  and  insensi- 
ble ?  or  what  do  you  mean  to  do  ?" 

"  We  won't  leave  the  captain,"  said  one  of  the  sea- 
men. 

"  No — no !"  exclaimed  the  others. 

"And  the  passengers  ?" 

"  Very  sorry  for  them,"  replied  the  former  spokes- 
man ;  "  but  we  shall  have  enough  to  do  to  save  our  own 
lives ;  the  boat  is  not  overlarge." 

"  Well,  my  lads,  I  agree  with  you,"  said  Mackintosh. 
"  Charity  begins  at  home.  What  do  you  say,  then  ? — 
shall  it  be  so?" 

" Yes," replied  the  seamen  unanimously;  and  Eeady 
knew  that  it  was  in  vain  to  expostulate.  They  now 
set  about  preparing  the  boat  and  providing  for  their 
wants.  Biscuits,  salt  pork,  two  or  three  small  casks  of 
water,  and  a  barrel  of  rum  were  collected  at  the  gang- 
way ;  Mackintosh  brought  up  his  quadrant  and  a  com- 
pass, some  muskets,  powder  and  shot ;  the  carpenter, 
with  the  assistance  of  another  man,  cut  away  the  ship's 


MASTERMA N  READ  Y.  35 

bulwarks  down  to  the  gunnel,  so  as  to  enable  them  to 
launch  the  boat  overboard,  for  they  could  not  of  coarse 
hoist  her  out  now  that  the  masts  were  gone.  In  an 
hour  everything  was  prepared.  A  long  rope  was  made 
fast  to  the  boat,  which  was  brought  to  the  gunnel 
ready  for  launching  overboard,  and  then  the  ship's 
broadside  was  brought  to  the  wind.  Keady  had  taken 
no  part  in  their  labor ;  he  had  once  or  twice  sounded 
the  well,  to  ascertain  if  the  water  gained  upon  the 
ship,  and  then  sat  down  by  the  side  of  Captain  Osborn, 
who  still  remained  insensible  from  the  blow  which  he 
had  received  on  his  head.  As  the  ship  was  brought  to 
the  wind  Mr.  Seagrave  came  on  deck  and  looked  around 
him. 

He  perceived  the  boat  ready  for  launching,  the  pro- 
visions and  water  at  the  gangway,  the  ship  brought  to 
the  wind,  and  rolling  slowly  to  the  heave  of  the  sea ; 
at  last  he  saw  Ready  sitting  down  by  Captain  Osborn, 
who  was  apparently  dead.  "  What  is  all  this,  Ready  ?" 
inquired  Mr.  Seagrave.  "Are  they  going  to  leave  the 
ship?  have  they  killed  Captain  Osborn?" 

"  No,  sir — not  quite  so  bad  as  that.  Poor  Captain 
Osborn  was  struck  down  by  the  fall  of  the  yard,  and 
has  been  insensible  ever  since ;  but,  as  to  the  other 
matter,  I  fear  that  is  decided ;  you  see  they  are  launch- 
ing the  boat." 

"  But  my  poor  wife,  she  will  never  be  able  to  go — 
she  cannot  move — she  is  so  ill !" 

"  I'm  afraid,  Mr.  Seagrave,  that  they  have  no  idea 
of  taking  either  you,  or  your  wife,  or  your  children 
with  them." 

"  What !  leave  us  here  to  perish  ?  Merciful  Heaven  ! 
how  cruel — how  barbarous !" 


36  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  It  is  not  kind,  Mr.  Seagrave,  but  still  you  see  it  is 
the  law  of  nature.  When  it  is  a  question  of  life,  it 
is  every  one  for  himself,  for  life  is  sweet ;  they  are  not 
more  unkind  than  they  would  be  to  each  other,  if  there 
were  too  many  for  the  boat  to  hold.  I've  seen  all 
this  before  in  my  time,"  replied  Keady  gravely. 

"  My  wife !  my  children !"  cried  Mr.  Seagrave,  cov- 
evering  his  face  with  his  hands.  "  But  I  will  speak  to 
them,"  continued  he,  after  a  pause ;  "  surely  they  will 
listen  to  the  dictates  of  humanity ;  at  all  events  Mr. 
Mackintosh  will  have  some  power  over  them.  Don't 
you  think  so,  Keady  ?" 

"  Well,  Mr.  Seagrave,  if  I  must  speak,  I  confess  to 
you  that  there  is  not  a  harder  heart  among  them  than 
that  of  Mr.  Mackintosh,  and  it  is  useless  speaking  to 
him  or  any  one  of  them ;  and  you  must  not  be  too 
severe  upon  them,  either ;  the  boat  is  small,  and  could 
not  hold  more  people  with  the  provisions  which  they 
take  with  them — that  is  the  fact.  If  they  were  to  take 
you  and  your  family  into  the  boat,  it  might  be  the 
cause  of  all  perishing  together  ;  if  I  thought  otherwise 
I  would  try  what  I  could  do  to  persuade  them,  but  it 
is  useless." 

"  What  must  be  done,  then,  Eeady  ?" 

"  We  must  put  our  trust  in  a  merciful  God,  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  who  will  dispose  of  us  as  He  thinks  fit." 

"  We  must.     What !  do  you  not  go  with  them  ?" 

"  No,  Mr.  Seagrave.  I  have  been  thinking  about  it 
this  last  hour,  and  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  remain 
with  you.  They  intend  to  take  poor  Captain  Osborn 
with  them,  and  give  him  a  chance,  and  have  offered  to 
take  me ;  but  I  shall  stay  here." 

"  To  perish !"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave  with  surprise. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  37 

"As  God  pleases,  Mr.  Seagrave.  I  am  an  old  man, 
and  it  is  of  little  consequence  ;  and  I  hope  that  I  am  a 
prepared  man  as  far  as  I  have  been  able.  I  tell  you, 
Mr.  Seagrave,  I  think  much  more  of  your  children 
than  I  do  for  myself.  I  care  little  whether  I  am  taken 
away  a  year  or  two  sooner,  but  I  do  not  like  to  see 
blossoms  cut  off  in  early  spring ;  I  may  be  of  use  if  I 
remain,  for  I've  an  old  head  upon  my  shoulders,  and 
I  could  not  leave  you  all  to  perish  when  you  might  be 
saved  if  you  only  knew  how  to  act.  But  here  the  sea- 
men come — the  boat  is  all  ready,  and  they  will  now 
take  poor  Captain  Osborn  with  them." 

The  sailors  came  aft,  and  lifted  up  the  still  insensible 
captain.  As  they  were  going  away,  one  of  them 
said: 

"  Come,  Ready,  there's  no  time  to  lose." 

"  Never  mind  me,  Williams ;  I  shall  stick  to  the 
ship,"  replied  Ready.  "  I  wish  you  success  with  all 
my  heart:  and,  Mr.  Mackintosh,  I  have  but  one 
promise  to  exact  from  you,  and  I  hope  you  will  not 
refuse  me ;  which  is,  that  if  you  are  saved,  you  will 
then  not  forget  those  you  leave  here  on  board,  and 
take  measures  for  their  being  searched  for  among  the 
islands." 

"  Nonsense,  Ready !  come  into  the  boat,"  replied  the 
first  mate. 

"  I  shall  stay  here,  Mr.  Mackintosh  ;  and  I  only  beg 
that  you  will  promise  me  what  I  ask.  Acquaint  Mr. 
Seagrave's  friends  with  what  has  happened,  and  where 
it  is  most  likely  we  may  be  found,  if  it  please  God  to 
save  us :  that  is  all  that  is  necessary.  Do  you  promise 
me  that  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  do,  Ready ;  if  you  are  determined  to  stay ; 


38  MASTERMAN  READY. 

but,"  continued  he,  going  up  to  Keady,  and  whispering 
to  him,  "  it  is  madness ;  come  away,  man !" 

"  Good-by,  Mr.  Mackintosh,"  replied  Keady,  extend- 
ing his  hand.  "  You  will  keep  your  promise  ?" 

After  much  further  expostulation  on  the  part  of 
Mackintosh  and  the  seamen,  to  which  Eeady  gave  a 
deaf  ear,  the  boat  was  pushed  off,  and  they  made  sail 
to  the  northeast. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  39 


CHAPTER  YII. 

AMONG  THE   CORAL   ISLANDS. 

FOR  some  time  after  the  boat  had  shoved  off  from 
the  ship,  old  Ready  remained  with  his  arms  folded, 
watching  it  in  silence.  Mr.  Seagrave  stood  by  him ; 
his  heart  was  too  full  for  utterance,  for  he  imagined 
that  as  the  boat  increased  her  distance  from  the  vessel, 
so  did  every  ray  of  hope  depart,  and  that  his  wife  and 
children,  himself  and  the  old  man  who  was  by  his 
side,  were  doomed  to  perish.  His  countenance  was 
that  of  a  man  in  utter  despair.  At  last  old  Ready 
spoke. 

"  They  think  that  they  will  be  saved  and  that  we 
must  perish,  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  they  forgot  that  there  is 
a  Power  above,  who  will  himself  decide  that  point — a 
Power  compared  to  which  the  efforts  of  weak  man  are 
as  naught." 

"  True !"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave,  in  a  low  voice ;  "  but 
still  what  chance  we  can  have  on  a  sinking  ship,  with 
so  many  helpless  creatures  around  us,  I  confess  that  I 
cannot  imagine." 

"  We  must  do  our  best,  and  submit  to  His  will,"  re- 
plied Ready,  who  then  went  aft,  and  shifted  the  helm, 
so  as  to  put  the  ship  again  before  the  wind. 

As  the  old  man  had  foretold  to  the  seamen  before 
they  quitted  the  vessel,  the  gale  was  now  over,  and  the 


40  MASTERMAN  READY. 

sea  had  gone  down  considerably.  The  ship,  however, 
dragged  but  slowly  through  the  water,  and  after  a 
short  time  Keady  lashed  the  wheel,  and  went  forward. 
On  his  return  to  the  quarter-deck  he  found  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  had  thrown  himself  down  (apparently  in  a  state 
of  despair)  upon  the  sail  on  which  Captain  Osborn  had 
been  laid  after  his  accident. 

"  If  you  are  praying,  Mr.  Seagrave,  I  am  sorry  to 
interrupt  you,  but  if  you  are  not,  but  are  overcome 
with  your  situation,  perhaps  I  may  be  able  to  give  you 
some  little  hope." 

"  I  have  been  praying,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave,  raising 
himself  up,  "  and,  since  that,  I  have  been  trying  to 
collect  my  thoughts,  which  I  acknowledge  to  be  very 
confused.  The  great  pang  will  be  to  communicate  to 
my  wife  our  hopeless  situation." 

"  If  I  thought  our  situation  hopeless,"  replied  Keady, 
"  I  would  candidly  say  no  ;  but  there  always  is  hope, 
even  at  the  very  worst — and  there  always  ought  to  be 
trust  in  that  God  without  whose  knowledge  not  a 
sparrow  falls  to  the  ground.  But  Mr.  Seagrave,  I 
shall  speak  as  a  seaman,  and  tell  you  what  our  proba- 
bilities are.  The  ship  is  half  full  of  water,  from  her 
seams  having  opened  by  the  straining  in  the  gale,  and 
the  heavy  blows  which  she  received  ;  but,  now  that  the 
gale  has  abated,  she  has  recovered  herself  very  much. 
I  have  sounded  the  well,  and  find  that  she  has  not 
made  many  inches  within  the  last  two  hours,  and 
probably,  as  she  closes  her  seams,  will  make  less.  If, 
therefore,  it  pleases  God  that  the  fine  weather  should 
continue,  there  is  no  fear  of  the  vessel  sinking  under 
us  for  some  little  time ;  and  as  we  are  now  among  the 
islands,  it  is  not  impossible,  nay,  it  is  very  probable,  that 


MASTERMAN  READY.  41 

we  may  be  able  to  run  her  ashore,  and  thus  save  our 
lives.  I  thought  of  all  this  when  I  refused  to  go  in 
the  boat,  and  I  thought  also,  Mr.  Seagrave,  that  if  you 
were  to  have  been  deserted  by  me  as  well  as  by  all  the 
rest,  you  would  have  been  unable  yourself  to  take 
advantage  of  any  chances  which  might  turn  up  in  your 
favor,  and  therefore  I  have  remained,  hoping,  under 
God's  providence,  to  be  the  means  of  assisting  you  and 
your  family  in  this  sore  position.  I  think  now  it 
would  be  better  that  you  should  go  down  into  the 
cabin,  and  with  a  cheerful  face  encourage  poor 
Mrs.  Seagrave  with  the  change  in  the  weather,  and  the 
hopes  of  arriving  in  some  place  of  safety.  If  she  does 
not  know  that  the  men  have  quitted  the  ship,  do  not 
tell  her ;  say  that  the  steward  is  with  the  other  men, 
which  will  be  true  enough,  and  if  possible,  leave  her 
in  the  dark  as  to  what  has  taken  place ;  Master  Will- 
iam can  be  trusted,  and  if  you  will  send  him  here  to 
me,  I  will  talk  to  him.  What  do  you  think,  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  ?" 

"  I  hardly  know  what  to  think,  Ready,  or  how  suffi- 
ciently to  thank  you  for  your  self-devotion,  if  I  may 
so  term  it,  in  this  exigency.  That  your  advice  is 
excellent,  and  that  I  shall  follow  it,  you  may  be 
assured ;  and,  should  we  be  saved  from  the  death 
which  at  present  stares  us  in  the  face,  my  grati- 
tude  " 

"  Do  not  speak  of  that,  sir  ;  I  am  an  old  man  with 
few  wants,  and  whose  life  is  of  little  use  now.  All  I 
wish  to  feel  is,  that  I  am  trying  to  do  my  duty  in  that 
situation  into  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  call  me. 
What  can  this  world  offer  to  one  who  has  roughed  it 
all  his  life,  and  who  has  neither  kith  nor  kin  that  he 


42  MASTERMAN  READY. 

knows  of  to  care  about  his  death  ?  Thank  you  kindly} 
Mr.  Seagrave,  nevertheless  ;  now  I  think  you  had  bet- 
ter go  down,  and  I  will  look  about  me  a  little."  Mr. 
Seagrave  pressed  the  hand  of  Ready,  and  went  down 
without  making  any  reply.  He  found  that  his  wife 
had  been  asleep  for  the  last  hour,  and  was  not  yet 
awake.  The  children  were  also  quiet  in  their  beds. 
Juno  and  William  were  the  only  two  who  were  sitting 
up. 

William  made  a  sign  to  his  father  that  his  mother 
was  asleep,  and  then  said,  in  a  whisper :  "  I  did  not 
like  to  leave  the  cabin  while  you  were  on  deck,  but 
the  steward  has  not  been  here  these  two  hours ;  he 
went  to  milk  the  goat  for  baby,  and  has  not  returned. 
We  have  had  no  breakfast,  none  of  us." 

"  William,  go  on  deck,"  replied  his  father ;  "  Ready 
wishes  to  speak  to  you — I  will  stay  here." 

William  went  on  deck  to  Ready,  who  soon  explained 
to  him  the  position  in  which  they  were  placed;  he 
pointed  out  to  him  the  necessity  of  his  doing  all  he 
could  to  assist  his  father  and  him,  and  not  to  alarm  his 
mother  in  her  precarious  state  of  health.  William, 
who,  as  it  may  be  expected,  looked  very  grave,  did, 
however,  immediately  enter  into  Ready's  view,  and 
proceeded  to  do  his  best.  "Now,  Ready,"  said  he, 
"  you  know  the  steward  has  left  with  the  other  men, 
and  when  my  mother  wakes  she  will  ask  why  the 
children  have  had  no  breakfast.  What  can  I  do  ?" 

"  I  don't  know ;  but  I  think  you  can  milk  one  of  the 
goats  if  I  show  you  how,  while  I  go  and  get  the  other 
things  ready ;  I  can  leave  the  deck,  for  you  see  the 
ship  steers  herself  very  nicely  ;  and,  Master  William, 
I  have  sounded  the  well  just  before  you  came  up,  and 


MASTERMAN  READY.  43 

I  don't  think  she  makes  much  water  ;  and,"  continued 
he,  looking  round  him,  and  up  above,  "  we  shall  have 
fine  weather  and  a  smooth  sea  before  night." 

By  the  united  exertions  of  Ready  and  William,  the 
breakfast  was  prepared  while  Mrs.  Seagrave  still  con- 
tinued in  a  sound  sleep.  The  motion  of  the  ship  was 
now  very  little ;  she  only  rolled  very  slowly  from  one 
side  to  the  other,  for  she  was  heavy  with  the  water 
which  had  leaked  into  her ;  the  sea  and  wind  had  gone 
down,  and  the  sun  shone  brightly  over  their  heads ; 
the  boat  had  been  out  of  sight  some  time,  and  the  ship 
did  not  go  through  the  water  faster  than  three  miles 
an  hour,  for  she  had  no  other  sail  upon  her  than  the 
maintop-gallant  sail  hoisted  up  on  the  stump  of  the 
foremast.  Ready,  who  had  been  some  time  down  in 
the  cabin,  proposed  to  Mr.  Seagrave  that  Juno  and  all 
the  children  should  go  on  deck.  "They  cannot  be 
expected  to  be  quiet,  sir ;  and  now  that  madam  is  in 
such  a  sweet  sleep,  it  would  be  a  pity  to  wake  her. 
After  so  much  fatigue  she  may  sleep  for  hours,  and 
the  longer  the  better,  for  you  know  that  in  a  short 
time,  I  trust,  she  will  have  to  exert  herself."  Mr. 
Seagrave  agreed  to  the  good  sense  of  this  proposal, 
and  went  on  deck  with  Juno  and  the  children,  leaving 
William  in  the  cabin  to  watch  his  mother.  Poor  Juno 
was  very  much  astonished  when  she  came  up  the  ladder 
and  perceived  the  condition  of  the  vessel  and  the  ab- 
sence of  the  men ;  but  Mr.  Seagrave  told  her  what  had 
happened,  and  cautioned  her  against  saying  a  word  to 
Mrs.  Seagrave.  Juno  promised  that  she  would  not ; 
but  the  poor  girl  perceived  the  danger  of  their  position, 
and,  as  she  pressed  little  Albert  to  her  bosom,  a  tear 
or  two  rolled  down  her  cheeks — she  was  not  thinking 


44  MASTERMAN  READY. 

of  herself,  but  of  what  would  become  of  her  little 
charge.  Even  Tommy  and  Caroline  could  not  help 
asking  where  the  masts  and  sails  were,  and  what  had 
become  of  Captain  Osborn. 

"  Look  there,  sir,"  said  Ready,  pointing  out  some 
floating  seaweed  to  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  I  perceive  it,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  what 
then?" 

"  That  by  itself  would  not  be  quite  proof,"  replied 
Ready,  "  but  we  sailors  have  other  signs  and  tokens. 
Do  you  see  those  birds  hovering  over  the  waves  ?" 

"I  do." 

"  "Well,  sir,  those  birds  never  go  far  from  land,  that's 
all ;  and  now,  sir,  I'll  go  down  for  my  quadrant ;  for, 
although  I  cannot  tell  the  longitude  just  now,  at  all 
events  I  can  find  out  the  latitude  we  are  in,  and  then, 
by  looking  at  the  chart,  shall  be  able  to  give  some  kind 
of  guess  whereabout  we  are,  if  we  see  land  soon.  It  is 
nearly  noon  now,"  observed  Ready,  reading  off  his 
quadrant,  "  the  sun  rises  very  slowly.  What  a  happy 
thing  a  child  is !  Look,  sir,  at  those  little  creatures 
playing  about,  and  as  merry  now,  and  as  unaware  of 
danger,  as  if  they  were  at  home  in  their  parlor.  Al- 
though nothing  pains  me  more  when  it  does  take  place, 
I  often  think,  sir,  it  is  a  great  blessing  for  a  child  to  be 
called  away  early ;  and  that  it  is  selfish  in  parents  to 
repine." 

"  Perhaps  it  is,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave,  looking 
mournfully  at  his  children. 

"It's  twelve  o'clock,  sir.  I'll  just  go  down  and  work 
the  latitude,  and  then  I'll  bring  up  the  chart." 

Mr.  Seagrave  remained  on  deck.  He  was  soon  in 
deep  and  solemn  thought ;  nor  was  it  to  be  wondered  at 


MASTERMAN  READY.  46 

— the  ship  a  wreck  and  deserted — left  alone  on  the  wide 
water  with  his  wife  and  helpless  family,  with  but  one 
to  assist  him ;  had  that  one  deserted  him  as  wellas  the 
rest,  what  would  have  been  his  position  then  ?  utter 
helplessness!  And  now  what  had  they  to  expect? 
Their  greatest  hopes  were  to  gain  some  island,  and,  if 
they  succeeded,  perhaps  a  desert  island,  perhaps  an 
island  inhabited  .by  savages — to  be  murdered,  or  to 
perish  miserably  of  hunger  and  thirst.  Or,  allowing 
that  they  did  find  the  means  of  subsistence,  what  then  ? 
Were  they  to  remain  there  for  their  lives,  and  die  un- 
known and  unheeded  ?  It  was  not  until  some  time 
after  these  reflections  had  passed  through  his  mind 
that  Mr.  Seagrave  could  recall  himself  to  a  sense  of 
thankfulness  to  the  Almighty  for  having  hitherto  pre- 
served them,  or  could  say,  with  humility,  "Oh,  Lord! 
thy  will,  not  mine,  be  done."  But,  having  once  suc- 
ceeded in  repressing  his  murmurs  and  his  doubts  of  the 
goodness  of  Providence,  he  then  felt  that  he  had  cour- 
age and  faith  to  undergo  every  trial  which  might  be 
imposed  upon  him. 

"  Here  is  the  chart,  sir,"  said  Eeady,  "  and  I  have 
drawn  a  pencil  line  through  our  latitude ;  you  perceive 
that  it  passes  through  this  cluster  of  islands;  and  I 
think  we  must  be  among  them,  or  very  near.  Now  I 
must  put  something  on  for  dinner,  and  then  look  sharp 
out  for  the  land.  Will  you  take  a  look  round,  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  especially  ahead  and  on  the  bows  ?" 

Keady  went  down  to  see  what  he  could  procure  for 
dinner,  as  the  seamen,  when  they  left  the  ship,  had  col- 
lected almost  all  which  came  first  to  hand.  He  soon 
procured  a  piece  of  salt  beef  and  some  potatoes,  which 
he  put  into  the  saucepan,  and  then  returned  on  deck. 


46  MASTERMAN  READ  T. 

Mr.  Seagrave  was  forward,  looking  over  the  bows, 
and  Keady  went  there  to  him. 

"  Ready,  I  think  I  see  something,  but  I  can  hardly 
tell  what  it  is ;  it  appears  to  be  in  the  air,  and  yet 
it  is  not  clouds.  Look  there,  where  I  point  my 
finger." 

"  You're  right,  sir,"  replied  Eeady,  "  there  is  some- 
thing ;  it  is  not  the  land  which  you  see,  but  it  is  the 
trees  upon  the  land  which  are  reflected,  as  they  call  it, 
so  as  to  appear,  as  you  say,  as  if  they  were  in  the  air. 
That  is  an  island,  sir,  depend  upon  it ;  but  I  will  go 
down  and  get  my  glass." 

"It  is  the  land,  Mr.  Seagrave,"  said  Ready,  after 
examining  it  with  his  glass — "  yes,  it  is  so,"  continued 
he,  musing ;  "  I  wish  that  we  had  seen  it  earlier ;  and 
yet  we  must  be  thankful." 

"Why  so,  Ready?" 

"  Only,  sir,  as  the  ship  forges  so  slowly  through  the 
water,  I  fear  that  we  shall  not  reach  it  before  dark, 
and  I  should  have  wished  to  have  had  daylight  to  have 
laid  her  nicely  on  it." 

"  There  is  very  little  wind  now." 

"  "Well,  let  us  hope  that  there  will  be  more,"  replied 
Ready ;  "  if  not,  we  must  do  our  best ;  but  I  must  now 
go  to  the  helm,  for  we  must  steer  right  for  the 
island ;  it  would  not  do  to  pass  it,  for,  Mr.  Seagrave, 
although  the  ship  does  not  leak  so  much  as  she  did, 
yet  I  must  now  tell  you  that  I  do  not  think  that  she 
could  be  kept  more  than  twenty-four  hours  above 
water.  I  thought  otherwise  this  morning  when  I 
sounded  the  well ;  but  when  I  went  down  in  the  hold 
for  the  beef  I  then  perceived  that  we  were  in  more 
danger  than  I  had  any  idea  of ;  however,  there  is  the 


MASTERMAN  READY.  47 

land,  and  every  chance  of  escape ;  so  let  us  thank  the 
Lord  for  all  His  mercies." 

"  Amen  !"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

Ready  went  to  the  helm  and  steered  a  course  for 
the  land,  which  was  not  so  far  distant  as  he  had 
imagined,  for  the  island  was  very  low :  by  degrees  the 
wind  freshened  up,  and  they  went  faster  through  the 
water  ;  and  now  the  trees,  which  had  appeared  as  if  in 
the  air,  joined  on  to  the  land,  and  they  could  make  out 
that  it  was  a  low  coral  island  covered  with  groves  of 
cocoanuts.  Occasionally  Keady  gave  the  helm  up  to 
Mr.  Seagrave,  and  went  forward  to  examine.  When 
they  were  within  three  or  four  miles  of  it  Ready  came 
back  from  the  forecastle,  and  said,  "  I  think  I  see  my 
way  pretty  clear,  sir ;  you  see  we  are  to  the  windward 
of  the  island,  and  there  is  always  deep  water  to  the 
windward  of  these  sort  of  isles,  and  reefs  and  shoals  to 
leeward ;  we  must,  therefore,  find  some  little  cleft  in 
the  coral  rock  to  dock  her  in,  as  it  were,  or  she  may 
fall  back  into  deep  water  after  she  has  taken  the 
ground,  for  sometimes  these  islands  run  up  like  a  wall, 
with  forty  or  fifty  fathom  of  water  close  to  the  weather 
sides  of  them ;  for  I  do  see  a  spot  where  I  think  she 
may  be  put  on  shore  with  safety.  You  see  those  three 
cocoanut-trees  close  together  on  the  beach  ?  Now,  sir, 
I  cannot  well  see  them  as  I  steer,  so  do  you  go  for- 
ward, and  if  I  am  to  steer  more  to  the  right,  put  out 
your  right  hand,  and  if  to  the  left,  the  same  with  your 
left ;  and,  when  the  ship's  head  is  as  it  ought  to  be, 
then  drop  the  hand  which  you  have  raised." 

"  I  perfectly  understand  you,  Ready,"  replied  Mr. 
Seagrave,  who  then  went  forward  and  directed  the 
steering  of  the  vessel  as  they  neared  the  island.  When 


48  MASTERMAN  READY. 

they  were  within  half  a  mile  of  it,  the  color  of  the 
water  changed,  very  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  Ready, 
who  knew  that  the  weather-side  of  the  island  would 
not  be  so  steep,  as  was  usually  the  case ;  still  it  was  an 
agitating  moment  as  they  ran  on  to  the  beach.  They 
were  now  within  a  cable's  length,  and  still  the  ship  did 
not  ground  ;  a  little  nearer,  and  there  was  a  grating  at 
her  bottom — it  was  the  breaking  off  of  the  coral-trees 
which  grew  below  like  forests  under  water — again 
she  grated,  and  more  harshly,  then  struck,  and  then 
again ;  at  last  she  struck  violently  as  the  swell  lifted 
her  further  on,  and  then  remained  fast  and  quiet. 
Eeady  let  go  the  helm  to  ascertain  the  position  of 
the  ship.  He  looked  over  the  stern  and  around  the 
ship,  and  found  that  she  was  firmly  fixed,  fore  and  aft, 
upon  a  bed  of  coral  rocks. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  49 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   SHIP   ON    THE   BOOKS. 

"  ALL'S  well  so  far,  sir,"  said  Ready  to  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
"  and  now  let  us  return  thanks  to  Heaven." 

Ready  knelt  down  on  the  deck,  took  off  his  hat,  and 
remained  a  short  time  in  prayer.  Mr.  Seagrave  did 
the  same ;  the  children  at  first  looked  on,  and  won- 
dered, and  then  knelt  down  by  the  side  of  them,  fol- 
lowing the  example  of  Juno. 

As  they  rose,  William  came  up  and  said  :  "  Father, 
my  mother  has  sent  me  to  you ;  she  was  awakened  by 
the  noise  under  the  ship's  bottom,  and  is  frightened — 
will  you  go  down  to  her?" 

"  Yes,  my  child,  directly,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  my  dear — and  where  have  you 
all  been  ?"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Seagrave,  when  her  husband 
went  down  below.  "  I  have  been  so  frightened — I  was 
in  such  a  sound  sleep,  and  I  was  awakened  with  such  a 
dreadful  noise  I" 

"  Be  composed,  my  dear,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
"  we  have  been  in  great  danger,  and  are  now,  I  trust, 
in  safety.  Tell  me,  are  you  not  better  for  your  long 
sleep  ?" 

"  Yes,  much  better — much  stronger ;  but  do  tell  me 
what  has  happened  ?" 

"  Much  took  place,  dearest,  before  you  went  to  sleep, 


50  MASTEEMAN  READY. 

which  was  concealed  from  you ;  but  now,  as  I  expect 
we  shall  all  go  on  shore  in  a  short  time " 

"  Go  on  shore,  my  dear  ?" 

"  Yes,  on  shore.  Now  be  calm,  and  hear  what  has 
happened,  and  how  much  we  have  reason  to  be  grate- 
ful to  Heaven." 

Mr.  Seagrave  then  entered  into  a  detail  of  ail  that 
had  passed.  Mrs.  Seagrave  heard  him  without  reply ; 
and  when  he  had  finished  she  threw  herself  in  his  arms 
and  wept  bitterly. 

Mr.  Seagrave  remained  with  his  wife,  using  all  his 
efforts  to  console  her,  until  Juno  reappeared  with  the 
children,  for  it  was  now  getting  late ;  and  then  Mr. 
Seagrave  returned  on  deck  to  consult  with  Ready. 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  Ready,  when  Mr.  Seagrave  went 
up  to  him,  "  I  have  been  looking  well  about  me,  and  I 
think  that  we  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful. 
The  ship  is  fast  enough,  and  will  not  move  until 
some  violent  gales  come  on  and  break  her  up;  but  of 
that  there  is  no  fear  at  present ;  the  little  wind  that 
there  is  is  going  down,  and  we  shall  have  a  calm  before 
morning." 

"  I  grant  that  there  is  no  immediate  danger,  Ready ; 
but  how  are  we  to  get  on  shore  ?  and,  when  on  shore, 
how  are  we  to  exist  ?" 

"  I  have  thought  of  that,  too,  sir,  and  I  must  have 
your  assistance,  and  even  that  of  Master  William,  to 
get  the  little  boat  on  board  to  repair  her ;  her  bottom 
is  stove  in,  it  is  true,  but  I  am  carpenter  enough  for 
that,  and  with  some  well-tarred  canvas  I  can  make  her 
sufficiently  watertight  to  land  us  all  in  safety,  until  I 
have  an  opportunity  of  putting  her  in  better  order. 
We  must  set  to  at  daylight." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  51 

"  And  when  we  get  on  shore  ?" 

"Why,  Mr.  Seagrave,  where  there  are  cocoanut- 
trees  in  such  plenty  as  there  are  on  that  island  there  is 
no  fear  of  starvation,  even  if  we  had  not  the  ship's 
provisions.  I  expect  a  little  difficulty  with  regard  to 
water,  for  the  island  is  low — very  low  and  small ;  but 
we  cannot  expect  to  find  everything  exactly  as  we 
wish." 

"  I  am  thankful  to  the  Almighty  for  our  preserva- 
tion, Ready  ;  but  still  there  are  feelings  which  I  can- 
not get  over.  Here  we  are,  cast  away  upon  a  desolate 
island,  which  perhaps  no  ship  may  ever  come  near,  so 
that  there  is  little  chance  of  our  being  taken  off.  Here 
we  may  live  and  die — here  my  children  may  grow  up 
— yes,  grow  old,  after  they  have  buried  you,  their 
father,  and  their  mother,  and  follow  us  to  the  same 
tomb.  All  their  prospects  in  life,  all  mine — all  blasted 
— all  my  hopes  overthrown — it  is  a  melancholy  and 
cruel  fate,  Ready,  and  that  you  must  acknowledge." 

"  Mr.  Seagrave,  as  an  old  man  compared  to  you,  I 
may  venture  to  say  that  you  are  ungrateful  to  Heaven 
to  give  way  to  these  repinings.  What  is  said  in  the 
book  of  Job  ?  *  Shall  we  receive  good  of  the  Lord,  and 
shall  we  not  receive  evil?'  Besides,  who  knows 
whether  good  may  not  proceed  from  what  appears 
evil  ?  You  talk  of  your  children  and  of  their  pros- 
pects, Mr.  Seagrave,  but  can  you  tell  what  might  have 
happened  if  you  had  arrived  at  Sydney,  and  had  fol- 
lowed up  your  worldly  concerns  ?  Most  children 
promise  fair ;  but,  when  they  arrive  at  manhood,  do 
they  always  prove  equal  to  the  expectations  of  their 
parents  ?  Who  knows  but  what  this  visitation  upon 
them  may  have  preserved  them  from  wickedness,  or 


52  MASTERMAN  READY._ 

from  a  violent  death  in  the  midst  of  their  wickedness 
— from  being  cut  off  in  their  prime — from  disgracing 
you  and  their  good  mother  ?  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr. 
Seagrave,  I  hope  I  have  not  offended  you ;  but  indeed, 
sir,  I  felt  that  it  was  my  duty  to  speak  as  I  have 
done." 

"  You  have  reproved  me  very  justly,  Keady  ;  and  I 
thank  you  for  it,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  I  will  re- 
pine no  more,  but  make  the  best  of  it." 

"  And  trust  in  God,  sir,  who,  if  He  thinks  fit,  will 
restore  you  once  more  to  your  friends,  and  increase 
tenfold  your  flocks  and  herds." 

"  That  quotation  becomes  very  apt,  Ready,"  replied 
Mr.  Seagrave,  smiling,  "considering  that  all  my 
prospects  are  in  flocks  and  herds  upon  my  land  in 
New  South  Wales.  I  must  put  myself  under  your 
orders;  for,  in  our  present  position,  you  are  my 
superior — knowledge  is  power.  Can  we  do  anything 
to-night?" 

"  I  can  do  a  little,  Mr.  Seagrave ;  but  you  cannot 
assist  me  till  to-morrow  morning,  except  indeed  to  help 
me  to  drag  these  two  spars  aft ;  and  then  I  can  rig  a 
pair  of  sheers,  and  have  them  all  ready  for  hoisting  up 
to-morrow  morning  to  get  the  boat  in.  You  see,  with 
so  little  strength  on  board,  and  no  masts,  we  shall  be 
obliged  to  contrive." 

Mr.  Seagrave  assisted  Ready  in  getting  the  two 
spars  aft,  and  laid  on  the  spot  which  was  required. 
"  There  now,  Mr.  Seagrave,  you  may  go  down  below. 
Master  William  had  better  let  loose  the  two  dogs,  and 
give  them  a  little  victuals,  for  we  have  quite  forgot 
them,  poor  things.  I  shall  keep  watch  to-night,  for  I 


MASTERMAN  READY.  53 

have  plenty  to  do,  and  plenty  to  think  of ;  so,  good- 
night, sir." 

Mr.  Seagrave  wished  Keady  good-night,  and  went 
below.  Ready  remained  on  deck,  lashing  the  heads 
of  the  spars,  and  fixing  his  tackles  ready  for  the 
morrow.  When  all  was  done  he  sat  down  upon  one 
of  the  hencoops  aft,  and  remained  in  deep  thought. 
At  last,  tired  with  watching  and  exertion,  the  old  man 
fell  asleep.  He  was  awakened  at  daylight  by  the 
dogs,  who  had  been  set  at  liberty,  and  who,  after 
walking  about  the  ship  and  finding  nobody,  had  then 
gone  to  sleep  at  the  cabin  door.  At  daybreak  they 
had  roused  up,  and  going  on  deck  had  found  old  Eeady 
asleep  on  the  hencoop,  and  were  licking  his  face  in 
their  joy  at  having  discovered  him.  "  Ay,"  said  the 
old  man,  as  he  got  off  the  hencoop,  "  you'H  all  three 
be  useful,  if  I  mistake  not,  by  and  by.  Down,  Vixen, 
down — poor  creature,  you've  lost  a  good  master,  I'm 
afraid." 

"  Stop — now  let  me  see,"  said  Ready,  talking  to  him- 
self; "first — but  I'll  get  the  logboard  and  a  bit  of 
chalk,  and  write  them  down,  for  my  memory  is  not 
quite  so  good  as  it  was." 

Ready  placed  the  logboard  on  the  hencoop,  and  then 
wrote  on  it  with  the  chalk :  "  Three  dogs,  two  goats, 
and  Billy  the  kid  (I  think  there's  five  pigs);  fowls 
(quite  enough) ;  three  or  four  pigeons  (I'm  sure) ;  the 
cow  (she  has  lain  down,  and  won't  get  up  again,  I'm 
afraid,  so  we  must  kill  her) ;  and  there's  the  Merino 
ram  and  sheep  belonging  to  Mr.  Seagrave — plenty  of 
live  stock.  Now,  what's  the  first  things  we  must  get 
on  shore  after  we  are  all  landed? — a  spar  and  top- 
gallant sail  for  a  tent,  a  coil  or  two  of  rope,  a  mattress 


54  MASTERMAN  READY. 

or  two  for  madam  and  the  children,  two  axes,  hammer 
and  nails,  something  to  eat — yes,  and  something  to  cut 
it  with.  There,  that  will  do  for  the  present,"  said  old 
Keady,  getting  up.  "  Now  I'll  just  light  the  fire,  get 
the  water  on,  and,  while  I  think  of  it,  boil  two  or 
three  pieces  of  beef  and  pork  to  go  on  shore  with 
them ;  and  then  I'll  call  up  Mr.  Seagrave,  for  I  reckon 
it  will  be  a  hard  day's  work ;  and  may  we  have  God's 
blessing  on  it  I" 


MASTERMAN  READY.  55 


CHAPTER  IX. 

GOING    ON    SHORE. 

AB  SOON  as  Ready  had  executed  his  intentions,  and 
had  fed  the  animals,  he  went  to  the  cabin  and  called 
Mr.  Seagrave  and  William.  With  their  assistance  the 
sheers  were  raised  and  secured  in  their  place  ;  the  boat 
was  then  hooked  on,  but,  as  one  person  was  required 
to  bear  it  clear  of  the  davits  and  taffrail,  they  could 
not  hoist  it  in. 

"  Master  William,  will  you  run  down  to  Juno,  and 
tell  her  to  come  on  deck  to  assist  us  ? — we  must  all 
work  now.  Madam  will  hold  the  baby  for  a  few 
minutes." 

William  soon  returned  with  Juno,  who  was  a  strong 
girl ;  and  with  her  assistance  they  succeeded  in  getting 
the  boat  in,  and  then  they  sent  Juno  down  again  into 
the  cabin. 

The  boat  was  turned  over,  and  Ready  commenced 
his  work ;  while  Mr.  Seagrave,  at  his  request,  put  the 
pitch-pot  on  the  galley  fire,  all  ready  for  pitching  the 
canvas  when  it  was  nailed  on.  It  was  not  till  dinner- 
time that  Ready,  who  had  worked  hard,  could  patch 
up  the  boat ;  he  then  payed  the  canvas  and  the  seams 
which  he  had  calked  with  pitch  both  inside  and  out. 

"  I  think  we  shall  do  now,  sir,"  said  Ready  ;  "  we'll 
drag  her  to  the  gangway  and  launch  her.  It's  fortu- 


56  Jl. A  STERMAN  READ  T. 

nate  for  us  that  they  did  clear  away  the  gunnel,  as  we 
shall  have  no  trouble." 

A  rope  was  made  fast  to  the  boat,  to  hold  her  to  the 
ship  ;  she  was  then  launched  over  the  gunnel  by  the 
united  exertions  of  Mr.  Seagrave  and  Keady,  and  to 
their  great  satisfaction  she  appeared  to  leak  very 
little. 

"  Now,  sir,"  said  Keady,  "  what  shall  we  do  first — 
take  some  things  on  shore,  or  some  of  the  children?" 

"  What  do  you  say,  Keady  ?" 

"  "Why,  then,  sir,  with  submission  to  you,  I  think,  as 
the  water  is  as  smooth  as  glass,  and  we  can  land  any- 
where (for  which  we  ought  to  be  most  thankful,  having 
women  and  infants  to  take  on  shore),  that  you  and  I 
had  better  go  first  to  reconnoiter — it  is  not  two  hun- 
dred yards  to  the  beach,  and  we  shall  lose  but  little 
time." 

"  Yery  well,  Keady,  I  will  first  run  down  and  tell 
my  wife." 

"And,  in  the  meanwhile,  I'll  put  the  sail  into  the 
boat,  and  one  or  two  other  things ;  it  will  be  so  much 
time  saved." 

Keady  put  the  sail  in,  an  ax,  a  musket,  and  some 
cord.  Mr.  Seagrave  came  up  again;  they  both  got 
into  the  boat  and  pulled  on  shore. 

When  they  landed  they  found  that  they  could  see 
nothing  of  the  interior  of  the  island,  the  cocoanut 
groves  were  so  thick ;  but  to  their  right  they  perceived, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off,  a  small  sandy  cove,  with 
brushwood  growing  in  front  of  the  cocoanut-trees. 

"  That,"  said  Ready,  pointing  to  it,  "  must  be  our 
location,  as  the  Americans  call  it.  Let  us  get  into  the 
boat  again,  Mr,  Seagrave,  and  pull  to  it ;  it  is  but  a 


MASTERMAN  READY.  57 

little  way  to  pull,  but  a  long  way  to  carry  the  things 
in  the  boat. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  arrived  at  the  cove ;  the  water 
was  shallow,  and  as  clear  as  crystal.  Beneath  the 
boat's  bottom  they  could  see  beautiful  shells,  and  the 
fish  darting  about  in  every  direction. 

The  sand  extended  about  forty  yards  from  the  water, 
and  then  commenced  the  brushwood,  which  ran  back 
about  forty  yards  further,  intermingled  with  single 
cocoanut-trees,  until  it  joined  the  cocoanut  grove. 
They  pulled  the  boat  in  and  landed. 

"  What  a  lovely  spot  this  is !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  and  perhaps  mortal  man  has  never  yet  visited 
it  till  now ;  those  cocoanuts  have  borne  their  fruit  year 
after  year,  have  died,  and  others  have  sprung  up  in 
their  stead ;  and  here  has  this  spot  remained,  perhaps 
for  centuries,  all  ready  for  man  to  live  in,  and  to  enjoy 
whenever  he  should  come  to  it." 

"  Providence  is  bountiful,  Mr.  Seagrave,"  replied 
Ready,  "  and  supplies  our  wants  when  we  least  expect 
it.  If  you  please  we  will  walk  a  little  way  into  the 
wood ;  take  the  gun  as  a  precaution,  sir — not  that  there 
appears  to  be  much  occasion  for  it — there  is  seldom 
anything  wild  on  these  small  islands,  except  a  pig  or 
two  has  been  put  on  shore  by  considerate  Christians. 
I  once  sailed  with  a  captain  on  these  seas,  and  he  never 
landed  on  a  desolate  island  without  putting  a  couple  of 
pigs  or  something  on  shore  to  breed,  in  case  anybody 
should  hereafter  be  shipwrecked ;  it  was  a  kind  thought." 

"  It  was,  Ready.  Well,  now  that  we  are  in  the  grove, 
what  do  you  think  ?" 

"  I  was  looking  for  a  place  to  fix  a  tent  up  for  the 
present,  sir,  and  I  think  that  on  that  little  rise  would 


58  MASTERMAN  READY. 

be  a  very  good  place  till  we  can  look  about  us  and  do 
better ;  but  we  have  no  time  now,  sir,  for  we  have 
plenty  of  trips  to  make  before  nightfall.  If  you  please, 
we'll  haul  the  sail  and  other  articles  on  to  the  beach, 
and  then  return  on  board." 

As  they  were  pulling  the  boat  back,  Keady  said : 
"  I've  been  thinking  about  what  is  best,  Mr.  Seagrave. 
Would  Mrs.  Seagrave  mind  your  leaving  her  ? — if  not, 
I  should  say  we  should  have  Juno  and  Master  William 
on  shore  first,  as  they  can  be  of  use." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  she  will  mind  being  left  on 
board  with  William  and  the  children,  provided  that  I 
return  for  her  when  she  is  to  come  on  shore  herself  with 
the  baby." 

"  Well,  then,  let  Master  William  remain  on  board,  if 
you  please,  sir.  I'll  land  you  and  Juno,  Master  Tommy, 
and  the  dogs,  this  time,  for  they  will  be  a  protection 
in  case  of  accidents.  You  and  Juno  can  be  doing 
something  while  I  return  by  myself  for  the  other 
articles  we  shall  require." 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  on  board,  Mr.  Seagrave 
went  down  to  cheer  his  wife  with  the  account  of  what 
they  had  seen,  and  he  obtained  her  consent  to  the 
arrangement  made  by  Ready.  While  he  was  down 
below,  Ready  had  cast  off  the  lashings  of  the  two  spars 
which  had  formed  the  sheers,  and  dragging  them  for- 
ward, had  launched  them  over  the  gunnel,  with  lines 
fast  to  them,  ready  for  towing  on  shore.  In  a  few 
minutes  Juno  and  Tommy  made  their  appearance  on 
deck  ;  Ready  put  some  tools  into  the  boat,  and  a  couple 
of  shovels,  which  he  brought  up  when  he  went  for  the 
dogs,  and  once  more  they  landed  at  the  sandy  cove. 
Tommy  stared  about  him  a  great  deal,  but  did  not 


MASTERMAN  READY.  59 

speak,  until  he  saw  the  shells  lying  on  the  beach,  when 
he  screamed  with  delight,  and  began  to  pick  them  up 
as  fast  as  he  could;  the  dogs  barked  and  galloped 
about,  overjoyed  at  being  once  more  on  shore ;  and 
Juno  smiled  as  she  looked  around  her,  saying  to  Keady, 
"  What  a  nice  place  !" 

"  Now,  Mr.  Seagrave,  I'll  remain  on  shore  with  you 
a  little.  First,  we'll  load  the  musket  in  case  of  need, 
and  then  you  can  put  it  out  of  the  way  of  Master 
Tommy,  who  fingers  everything,  I  observe.  We  will 
take  up  the  sail  between  us.  Juno,  you  can  carry  the 
tools ;  and  then  we  can  come  back  again  for  the  spars, 
and  the  rope,  and  the  other  things.  Come,  Master 
Tommy,  you  can  carry  a  shovel,  at  all  events,  and  that 
will  make  you  of  some  use.  We  must  all  work  now." 

Having  taken  all  these  things  to  the  little  knoll 
which  Keady  had  pointed  out  before,  they  returned 
for  the  spars ;  and  in  two  trips  they  had  carried  every- 
thing there,  Tommy  with  the  second  shovel  on  his 
shoulder,  and  very  proud  to  be  employed. 

"  Here  are  two  trees  which  will  answer  our  purpose 
pretty  well,"  said  Ready,  "as  they  are  far  enough 
apart ;  we  must  lash  the  spars  up  to  them,  and  then 
throw  the  sail  over,  and  bring  it  down  to  the  ground 
at  both  ends ;  that  will  be  a  beginning,  at  all  events  ; 
and  I  will  bring  some  more  canvas  on  shore,  to  set  up 
the  other  tent  between  these  other  trees,  and  also  to 
shut  up  the  two  ends  of  both  of  them  ;  then  we  shall 
have  a  shelter  for  madam  and  Juno,  and  the  younger 
children,  and  another  for  Master  William,  Tommy  and 
ourselves.  Now,  sir,  I'll  just  help  you  to  lash  the 
spars,  and  then  I'll  leave  you  to  finish  while  I  go  on 
board  again. 


60  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  But  how  can  we  reach  so  high,  Ready  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  we  can  manage  that  by  first  lashing  a 
spar  as  high  as  we  can  conveniently  reach,  and  then 
standing  on  that  while  we  lash  the  other  in  its  proper 
place.  I  shall  bring  another  spar  on  shore,  that  we 
may  do  the  same  when  we  set  up  the  other  tent." 

Having  by  this  plan  succeeded  in  lashing  the  spar 
high  enough,  and  throwing  the  sail  over  the  spar, 
Keady  and  Mr.  Seagrave  spread  it  out,  and  found  that 
it  made  a  very  good-sized  tent. 

"  Now,  sir,  I'll  return  on  board  ;  in  the  meantime,  if 
you  can  cut  pegs  from  the  brushwood  to  fasten  the 
sail  down  to  the  ground,  and  then  with  the  shovel 
cover  the  bottom  of  it  with  sand  to  keep  it  down,  it 
will  be  close  enough  when  it  is  all  finished.  There's 
my  knife,  sir,  if  you  haven't  got  one." 

"  I  shall  do  very  well,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  Juno 
can  help  me  to  pull  the  cahvas  out  tight  when  I  am 
ready." 

"  Yes ;  and  in  the  meantime,  Juno,  take  a  shovel  and 
level  the  inside  of  the  tent  nice  and  smooth,  and  throw 
out  all  those  old  cocoanut  leaves,  and  look  if  you  see 
any  vermin  lurking  among  them.  Master  Tommy, 
you  must  not  run  away  ;  and  you  must  not  touch  the 
axes,  they  will  cut  you  if  you  do.  It  may  be  as  well 
to  say,  Mr.  Seagrave,  that  should  anything  happen, 
and  you  require  my  assistance,  you  had  better  fire  off 
the  gun,  and  I  will  come  on  shore  to  you  immediately. 
But  that's  not  very  likely,"  concluded  Keady,  who 
then  walked  down  to  the  beach,  and  stepping  into  the 
boat,  pulled  on  board  of  the  ship. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  61 


CHAPTER  X. 

NIGHT  ON   THE   ISLAND. 

WHEN  Ready  returned  on  board  he  first  went  down 
into  the  cabin  to  acquaint  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  William 
with  what  they  had  done.  Mrs.  Seagrave  naturally 
felt  anxious  about  her  husband  being  on  shore  alone, 
and  Ready  informed  her  that  they  had  agreed  that,  if 
anything  should  occur,  Mr.  Seagrave  would  fire  the 
musket.  He  then  went  down  into  the  sail-room  to  get 
some  canvas,  a  new  top-gallant  sail  which  was  there, 
and  a  palm  and  needles  with  twine.  Scarcely  had  he 
got  them  out,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder,  when  the 
report  of  the  musket  was  heard,  and  Mrs.  Seagrave 
rushed  out  of  the  cabin  in  the  greatest  alarm ;  Ready 
seized  another  musket,  jumped  into  the  boat,  and 
pulled  on  shore  as  fast  as  he  could.  On  his  arrival,  - 
quite  out  of  breath — for  as  he  pulled  on  shore  he  had 
his  back  toward  it,  and  could  see  nothing — he  found 
Mr.  Seagrave  and  Juno  busy  with  the  tent,  and  Master 
Tommy  sitting  on  the  ground  crying  very  lustily.  It 
appeared  that,  while  Mr.  Seagrave  and  Juno  were 
employed,  Master  Tommy  had  crept  away  to  where 
the  musket  was  placed  up  on  end  against  a  cocoa- 
nut-tree,  and  after  pulling  it  about  some  little  while, 
had  touched  the  trigger.  The  musket  went  off,  and, 
as  the  muzzle  was  pointed  upward,  the  charge  had 


62  JfASTERMAN  READY. 

brought  down  two  large  cocoanuts,  which  fell  close  to 
where  Tommy  was  under  the  tree,  and  had  they  hit 
him,  would  certainly  have  killed  him.  Mr.  Seagrave, 
who  was  aware  what  an  alarm  this  would  produce  on 
board  the  vessel,  had  been  scolding  him  soundly,  and 
now  Master  Tommy  was  trying  to  prove  how  very 
penitent  he  was. 

"  I  had  better  return  on  board  immediately,  sir,  and 
tell  Mrs.  Seagrave,"  said  Keady. 

"  Do,  pray,  my  good  fellow,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

Ready  then  returned  to  the  ship,  and  explained 
matters,  and  then  recommenced  his  labor. 

Having  put  into  the  boat  the  sail-maker's  bag  with 
palm  and  needles,  two  mattresses,  and  blankets  from 
the  captain's  stateroom,  the  saucepan  with  the  beef 
and  pork,  and  a  spar  which  he  towed  astern,  Ready 
found  that  he  had  as  much  as  he  could  carry  ;  but,  as 
there  was  nobody  but  himself  in  it,  he  came  on  shore 
very  well.  Having,  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  and  Juno,  got  all  the  things  up  to  the  knoll, 
Ready  lashed  the  spar  up  for  the  second  tent,  and  then 
leaving  them  to  fix  it  up  like  the  other,  he  returned 
again  on  board.  Juno  had  cleaned  the  tent  out  very 
nicely,  and  said  that  she  had  not  found  any  animals  or 
insects  among  the  leaves.  Before  he  went  Ready  gave 
Tommy  a  stick,  and  told  him  to  watch  the  beef  and 
pork,  and  not  allow  the  dogs  to  eat  it  all  up,  and 
Tommy,  who  was  on  his  good  behavior,  stood  sentry 
over  it  as  grave  as  a  judge.  Ready  made  two  other 
trips  to  the  ship,  bringing  with  him  more  bedding,  a 
bag  of  ship's  biscuits,  another  of  potatoes,  plates, 
knives  and  forks,  spoons,  frying-pans,  and  other  cook- 
ing utensils,  and  a  variety  of  other  articles.  He  then 


MASTERMAN  READY.  63 

showed  Juno  how  to  fill  up  the  ends  of  the  first  tent 
with  the  canvas  and  sails  he  had  brought  on  shore,  so 
as  to  inclose  it  all  round ;  Juno  took  the  needle  and 
twine,  and  worked  very  well.  Ready,  satisfied  that 
she  would  be  able  to  get  on  without  them,  now  said  : 
"  Mr.  Seagrave,  we  have  but  two  hours  more  daylight, 
and  it  is  right  that  Mrs.  Seagrave  should  come  on 
shore  now;  so,  if  you  please,  we'll  go  off  and  fetch  her 
and  the  children.  I  think  we  shall  be  able  to  do  very 
well  for  the  first  night ;  and  if  it  pleases  God  to 
give  us  fine  weather,  we  may  do  a  great  deal  more  to- 
morrow— indeed,  as  long  as  the  fine  weather  lasts,  we 
must  work  hard  in  getting  things  on  shore,  for  one 
good  gale  would,  in  all  probability,  beat  the  vessel  to 
pieces.  I  stowed  the  hold  myself,  and  know  where 
most  of  the  things  are  to  be  found,  but  I  fear  it  will 
not  be  possible  to  get  out  many  articles  which  would 
be  useful." 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  on  board,  Mr.  Seagrave 
went  down  to  his  wife  to  propose  her  going  on  shore. 
She  was  much  agitated,  and  very  weak  from  her  ill- 
ness, but  she  behaved  courageously,  notwithstanding, 
and,  supported  by  her  husband,  she  gained  the  deck, 
William  following  with  the  baby,  and  his  little  sister 
Caroline  carried  by  Ready.  With  some  difficulty  they 
were  all  at  last  placed  in  the  boat  and  shoved  off  ;  but 
Mrs.  Seagrave  was  so  ill  that  her  husband  was  obliged 
to  support  her  in  his  arms,  and  William  took  an  oar. 
They  landed  very  safely,  and  carried  Mrs.  Seagrave 
up  to  the  tent,  and  laid  her  down  on  one  of  the  mat- 
tresses. She  asked  for  a  little  water. 

"  And  I  have  forgotten  to  bring  any  with  me ;  well, 
I  am  a  stupid  old  man ;  but  I'll  go  on  board  directly," 


64  MASTERMAN  READY. 

said  Keady.  "  To  think  that  I  should  be  so  busy  in 
bringing  other  things  on  shore  and  forget  the  greatest 
necessary  in  life  !  The  fact  is,  I  intended  to  look  for 
it  on  the  island  as  soon  as  I  could,  as  it  would  save  a 
deal  of  trouble." 

Keady  returned  on  board  as  fast  as  he  could,  and 
brought  on  shore  two  kegs  of  fresh  water,  which  he 
and  William  rolled  up  to  the  tent. 

Juno  had  completely  finished  her  task,  and  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave,  having  drank  some  water,  declared  that  she 
was  much  better. 

"  I  shall  not  return  on  board  any  more  to-night," 
said  Eeady.  "  I  feel  tired — very  tired  indeed." 

"You  must  be,  my  good  man,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave;  "you  have  been  up  many  nights,  and  have 
worked  very  hard  all  day.  Do  not  think  of  doing  any 
more." 

"  And  I  haven't  touched  food  this  day,  or  even 
quenched  my  thirst,"  replied  Keady,  sitting  down. 

"  You  are  ill,  are  you  not,  Keady  ?"  said  William. 

"  A  little  faint,  Master  William ;  I'm  not  so  young 
as  I  was.  Could  you  give  me  a  little  water  2" 

"  Stop,  William,  I  will,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  taking 
up  a  tin  can  which  had  been  filled  for  his  wife  ;  "  here, 
Ready,  drink  this." 

"  I  shall  be  better  soon,  sir ;  I'll  just  lie  down  a  little, 
and  then  I'll  have  a  biscuit  and  a  little  meat." 

Poor  old  Keady  was  indeed  quite  tired  out ;  but  he 
ate  something  and  felt  much  revived.  Juno  was  very 
busy ;  she  had  given  the  children  some  of  the  salt  meat 
and  biscuit  to  eat.  The  baby,  and  Tommy,  and  Caro- 
line had  been  put  to  bed,  and  the  second  tent  was 
nearly  ready. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  65 

"  It  will  do  very  well  for  to-night,  Juno,"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave ;  "  we  have  done  work  enough  for  this  day." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Ready,  "  and  I  think  we  ought  to 
thank  God  for  His  mercies  to  us  before  we  go  to  sleep. 
Have  we  not  much  to  thank  Him  for?  Had  the 
weather  been  bad,  and  the  water  rough,  should  we 
have  been  so  comfortably  on  shore  as  we  are  now  ? 
Has  it  not  been  a  mercy  ?" 

"  You  remind  me  of  my  duty,  Ready ;  let  us  thank 
Him  for  His  goodness,  and  pray  to  Him  for  His  pro- 
tection before  we  go  to  sleep." 

"  Do,  my  dear  husband,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  from 
her  tent ;  "  I  can  hear  you  and  join  with  you." 

Mr.  Seagrave  then  offered  up  a  prayer  of  thankful- 
ness, and  they  all  retired  to  rest. 


MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

GETTING   THINGS    FROM   THE    SHIP. 

MK.  SEA.GKAVE  was  the  first  who  awoke  and  rose 
from  his  bed  on  the  ensuing  morning.  He  stepped  out 
of  the  tent  and  looked  around  him.  The  sky  was  clear 
and  brilliant.  A  light  breeze  ruffled  over  the  surface 
of  the  water,  and  the  tiny  waves  rippled  one  after  an- 
other upon  the  white  sand  of  the  cove.  To  the  left  of 
the  cove  the  land  rose,  forming  small  hills,  behind 
which  appeared  the  continuation  of  the  cocoanut  groves. 
To  the  right,  a  low  ridge  of  coral  rocks  rose  almost  as 
a  wall  from  the  sea,  and  joined  the  herbage  and  brush- 
wood at  about  a  hundred  paces,  while  the  wreck  of  the 
Pacific,  lying  like  some  huge  stranded  monster,  formed 
the  prominent  feature  in  the  landscape.  The  sun  was 
powerful  where  its  beams  could  penetrate  ;  but  where 
Mr.  Seagrave  stood,  the  cocoanuts  waved  their  feathery 
leaves  to  the  wind,  and  offered  an  impervious  shade. 
A  feeling  of  the  extreme  beauty  of  the  scene,  subdued 
by  the  melancholy  created  by  the  sight  of  the  wrecked 
vessel,  pervaded  the  mind  of  Mr.  Seagrave  as  he  medi- 
tated over  it. 

"  Yes,"  thought  he,  "  if,  tired  of  the  world  and  its 
anxieties,  I  had  sought  an  abode  of  peace  and  beauty, 
it  would  have  been  on  a  spot  like  this.  How  lovely  is 


MASTERMAN  READY.  67 

the  scene  ! — what  calm — what  content — what  a  sweet 
sadness  does  it  create  !  How  mercifully  have  we  been 
preserved  when  all  hope  appeared  to  be  gone ;  and  how 
bountifully  have  we  been  provided  for,  now  that  we 
have  been  saved — and  yet  I  have  dared  to  repine,  when 
I  ought  to  be  full  of  gratitude !  May  God  forgive  me ! 
Wife,  children — all  safe ;  nothing  to  regret  but  a  few 
worldly  goods  and  a  seclusion  from  the  world  for  a 
time — yes,  but  for  how  long  a  time !  What !  rebellious 
still ! — for  the  time  that  it  shall  please  God  in  His  wis- 
dom to  ordain."  Mr.  Seagrave  turned  back  to  his 
tent.  William,  Tommy,  and  old  Ready  still  remained 
fast  asleep.  "Excellent  old  man,"  thought  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  "  if  ever  we  return  to  the  busy  scenes  of  life, 
your  kindness  and  your  Christian  feelings  shall  have 
their  reward,  as  far  as  it  is  in  my  power  to  repay  you. 
What  a  heart  of  oak  is  hid  under  that  rugged  bark ! 
Had  not  been  for  his  devotion — his  utter  sacrifice  of 
self — where  might  I  and  all  those  dear  helpless  crea- 
tures have  been  now  ?  Sleep  on,  good  old  man,  and 
may  Heaven  bless  you !" 

The  dogs,  who  had  crept  into  the  tent  and  laid  them- 
selves down  upon  the  mattresses  by  the  side  of  William 
and  Tommy,  now  fawned  upon  Mr.  Seagrave.  Will- 
iam woke  up  with  their  whining,  and  having  received 
a  caution  from  his  father  not  to  wake  old  Ready,  he 
dressed  himself  and  came  out. 

"  Had  I  not  better  call  Juno,  father  ?"  said  William  ; 
"I  think  I  can  without  waking  mamma,  if  she  is 
asleep." 

"  Then  do,  if  you  can,  my  boy ;  and  I  will  see  what 
cooking  utensils  Ready  has  brought  on  shore." 

William  soon  returned  to  his  father,  stating  that  his 


68  MASTERMAN  READY, 

mother  was  in  a  sound  sleep,  and  that  Juno  had  got  up 
without  waking  her  or  the  two  children. 

"Well,  we'll  see  if  we  cannot  get  some  breakfast 
ready  for  them,  William.  Those  dry  cocoanut  leaves 
will  make  an  excellent  fire." 

"  But,  father,  how  are  we  to  light  the  fire  ?  we  have 
no  tinder-box  or  matches." 

"  No ;  but  there  are  other  ways,  William,  although, 
in  most  of  them,  tinder  is  necessary.  The  savages  can 
produce  fire  by  rubbing  a  soft  piece  of  wood  against  a 
hard  one.  I'm  afraid  that  we  should  be  a  long  while 
doing  that ;  but  we  have  gunpowder,  and  can  make 
tinder  by  wetting  it  and  rubbing  it  on  a  rag  or  piece 
of  paper,  or  indeed  a  piece  of  soft  wood  ;  and  we  have 
two  ways  of  igniting  gunpowder — one  is  by  a  flint  and 
steel,  and  the  other  by  collecting  the  sun's  rays  into 
one  focus  by  a  magnifying  glass." 

"  We  have  no  magnifying  glass." 

"  No ;  but  we  can  obtain  one  out  of  a  telescope  when 
we  go  on  board  again ;  at  present  we  have  no  other 
means  than  with  the  musket." 

"  But,  father,  when  we  have  lighted  the  fire,  what 
have  we  to  cook?  we  have  no  tea  or  coffee." 

"No,  I  do  not  think  we  have,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  But  we  have  potatoes,  father." 

"  Yes,  William ;  but  don't  you  think  it  would  be 
better  if  we  made  our  breakfast  off  the  cold  beef  and 
pork  and  ship's  biscuit  for  once,  and  not  use  the  pota- 
toes ?  We  may  want  them  all  to  plant,  you  know  ;  but 
why  should  we  not  go  on  board  of  the  ship  ourselves  ? 
You  can  pull  an  oar  pretty  well,  and  we  must  all  learn 
to  work  now,  and  not  leave  everything  for  poor  old 
Eeady  to  do.  It  will  be  some  time  before  we  are  as 


MASTERMAN  READY.  69 

handy  as  that  old  man,  or  as  prepared  to  meet  every 
difficulty.  Come,  William." 

Mr.  Seagrave  then  went  down  to  the  cove  ;  the  little 
boat  was  lying  on  the  beach,  just  lifted  by  the  rippling 
waves ;  they  pushed  her  off  and  got  into  her.  "  I  knew 
where  the  steward  kept  the  tea  and  coffee,  father," 
said  William,  as  they  pulled  on  board.  "  Mamma  would 
like  some  for  breakfast,  I'm  sure,  and  I'll  milk  the 
goats  for  baby." 

Although  they  were  neither  of  them  very  handy  at 
the  oar,  they  were  soon  alongside  of  the  ship ;  and 
having  made  the  boat  fast,  they  climbed  on  board. 

William  first  went  down  into  the  cabin  for  the  tea 
and  coffee,  and  then  left  his  father  to  collect  other 
things  while  he  went  to  milk  the  goats,  which  he  did 
in  a  tin  pan.  He  then  poured  the  milk  into  a  bottle, 
which  he  had  washed  out,  that  it  might  not  be  spilled, 
and  went  back  to  his  father. 

"  I  have  filled  these  two  baskets  full  of  a  great  many 
things,  William,  which  will  be  very  acceptable  to  your 
mamma.  What  else  shall  we  take  ?" 

"  Let  us  take  the  telescope,  at  all  events,  father,  and 
let  us  take  a  whole  quantity  of  clothes — they  will  please 
mamma :  the  clean  ones  are  all  in  the  drawers — we  can 
bring  them  up  in  a  sheet ;  and  then,  father,  let  us  bring 
some  of  the  books  on  shore;  and  I'm  sure  mamma 
will  long  for  her  Bible  and  prayer-book — here  they 
are." 

"  You  are  a  good  boy,  William,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave.  "  I  will  now  take  those  things  up  to  the  boat 
and  then  return  for  the  rest." 

In  a  short  time  everything  was  put  into  the  boat, 
and  they  pulled  on  shore  again.  They  found  Juno, 


70  MASTERMAN  READY. 

who  had  been  washing  herself,  waiting  for  them  at  the 
cove,  to  assist  to  take  up  the  things. 

"  Well,  Juno,  how  do  you  find  yourself  this  morning  ?" 

"  Quite  well,  massa,"  said  Juno  ;  and  then  pointing  • 
to  the  clear  water,  she  said :  "  Plenty  fish  here." 

"  Yes,  if  we  only  had  lines,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 
"  I  think  Ready  has  both  hooks  and  lines  somewhere. 
Come,  Juno,  take  up  this  bundle  of  linen  to  your  tent : 
we  can  manage  all  the  rest." 

"  Then,  Juno,  you  may  as  well  take  this  bottle  of 
milk,  which  I  got  for  little  Albert's  breakfast." 

"  Tankee,  Massa  William ;  dat  very  good  of  you." 

"And  you  must  be  quick,  Juno,  for  there's  Tommy 
on  his  legs,  and  running  about  in  his  shirt." 

When  they  arrived  at  the  tent  they  found  that  every 
one  was  awake  except  old  Ready,  who  appeared  still 
to  sleep  very  sound.  Mrs.  Seagrave  had  passed  a  very 
good  night,  and  felt  herself  much  refreshed.  William 
made  some  touch-paper,  which  he  lighted  with  one  of 
the  glasses  from  the  telescope,  and  they  soon  had  a 
good  fire.  Mr.  Seagrave  went  to  the  beach,  and  pro- 
cured three  large  stones  to  rest  the  saucepan  on,  and 
in  half  an  hour  the  water  was  boiling  and  the  tea  made. 


M ASTERN  AN  KEADT. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SHARKS    AT    HAND. 

JUNO  had  taken  the  children  down  to  the  cove,  and, 
Walking  out  into  the  water  up  to  her  knees,  had  dipped 
them  in  all  over,  as  the  shortest  way  of  washing  them, 
and  had  then  dressed  them  and  left  them  with  their 
mother,  while  she  assisted  William  to  get  the  cups  and 
saucers  and  plates  for  breakfast.  Everything  was  laid 
out  nice  and  tidy  between  the  two  tents,  and  then 
William  proposed  that  he  should  awaken  old  Ready. 

"  Yes,  my  boy,  you  may  as  well  now — he  will  want 
his  breakfast ;  and,  besides,  he  would  not  like  to  be 
away  when  we  all  meet  to  return  thanks  to  God  before 
we  sit  down  to  our  meal." 

William  went  and  pushed  Ready  on  the  shoulder. 
"  Ready,  have  you  had  sleep  enough  ?"  said  William, 
as  the  old  man  sat  up. 

"  Yes,  Master  William.  I  have  had  a  good  nap,  I 
expect ;  and  now  I  will  get  up  and  see  what  I  can  get 
for  breakfast  for  you  all." 

"  Do,"  replied  William,  laughing. 

Ready  was  soon  dressed,  for  he  had  only  taken  off 
his  jacket  when  he  lay  down.  He  put  it  on  and  came 
out  of  the  tent ;  when,  to  his  astonishment,  he  found 
the  whole  party  (Mrs.  Seagrave  having  come  out  with 


72  MASTERMAN  READY. 

the  children)  standing  round  the  breakfast,  which  was 
spread  on  the  ground. 

"Good-morning,  Keady,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  ex- 
tending her  hand.  Mr.  Seagrave  also  shook  hands 
with  him. 

"  You  have  had  a  good,  long  sleep,  Keady,"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave,  "  and  I  would  not  waken  you  after  your 
fatigue  of  yesterday." 

"  I  thank  you  kindly,  sir ;  and  I  am  glad  to  see  that 
madam  is  so  well ;  and  I  am  not  sorry  to  see  that  yon 
can  do  so  well  without  me,"  continued  Keady,  smiling. 

"Indeed,  but  we  cannot,  I'm  afraid,"  replied  Mrs, 
Seagrave ;  "  had  it  not  been  for  you  and  your  kindness, 
where  should  we  have  been  now  ?" 

"  We  can  get  a  breakfast  ready  without  you,"  said 
Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  without  you,  my  good  fellow,  I 
think  we  never  should  have  required  another  breakfast 
by  this  time ;  but  we  will  tell  Keady  all  we  have  done 
while  we  eat  our  breakfast:  now,  my  dear,  if  you 
please." 

Mrs.  Seagrave  then  read  a  chapter  from  the  Bible, 
and  afterward  they  all  knelt  down  while  Mr.  Seagrave 
offered  up  a  prayer. 

While  they  were  at  breakfast,  William  told  Keady 
how  they  had  gone  on  board,  and  what  they  had 
brought  on  shore,  and  he  also  mentioned  how  Juno 
had  dipped  all  the  children  in  the  sea. 

"  But  Juno  must  not  do  that  again,"  replied  Keady, 
"  until  I  have  made  all  safe ;  you  know  that  there  are 
plenty  of  sharks  about  these  islands,  and  it  is  very 
dangerous  to  go  into  the  water." 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Seagrave,  what  an  escape  they  have  had !" 
cried  Mrs.  Seagrave,  shuddering. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  73 

"  It's  very  true,"  continued  Ready ;  "  but  they  don't 
keep  so  much  to  the  windward  of  the  islands,  where 
we  are  at  present ;  but  still  that  smooth  cove  is  a  very 
likely  place  for  them  to  come  into ;  so  it's  just  as  well 
not  to  go  in  again,  Juno,  until  I  have  time  to  make  a 
place  for  you  to  bathe  in  in  safety;  but  we  have 
plenty  to  do  before  we  think  of  that,  and  as  soon  as 
we  can  get  as  much  as  we  want  from  the  ship  we  must 
decide  whether  we  shall  stay  here  or  not." 

"  Stay  here  or  not,  Ready ! — what  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  Why,  we  have  not  yet  found  any  water,  and  that 
is  the  first  necessary  of  life — if  there  is  no  water  on 
this  side  of  the  island,  we  must  pitch  our  tents  some- 
where else." 

"  That's  very  true,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  I  wish 
we  could  find  time  to  explore  a  little." 

"So  we  can,  sir;  but  we  must  not  lose  this  fine 
weather.  It  may  be  rough  to-morrow,  and  then  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  get  anything  from  the  ship.  We 
had  better  go  now.  You,  sir,  William,  and  me.  You 
and  William  can  remain  on  board  to  collect  the  things, 
and  I  will  land  them  on  the  beach  for  Juno  to  bring 
up." 

The  whole  day  was  spent  in  landing  every  variety 
of  article  which  they  thought  could  be  useful.  All  the 
small  sails,  cordage,  twine,  canvas,  small  casks,  saws, 
chisels,  and  large  nails,  and  elm  and  oak  plank,  were 
brought  on  shore  before  dinner.  After  they  had  taken 
a  hearty  dinner  they  went  to  work  again.  The  cabin 
tables  and  chairs,  all  their  clothes,  some  boxes  of 
candles,  two  bags  of  coffee,  two  of  rice,  two  more  of 
biscuits,  several  pieces  of  beef  and  pork,  and  bags  of 
flour — for  they  could  not  manage  to  get  a  whole  cask 


74  MASTERMAN  READY. 

out — some  more  water,  the  grindstone,  and  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave's  medicine-chest  were  then  landed.  "When  Ready 
came  off  again  he  said,  "  Our  poor  boat  is  getting  very 
leaky,  and  will  not  take  much  more  on  shore  without 
being  repaired;  and  Juno  has  not  been  able  to  get 
half  the  things  up — they  are  too  heavy  for  one  person. 
I  think  we  shall  do  pretty  well  now,  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
and  we  had  better,  before  it  is  dark,  get  all  the  animals 
on  shore.  I  don't  much  like  to  trust  them  to  swim 
on  shore,  but  they  are  awkward  things  in  a  boat. 
We'll  try  a  pig,  at  all  events ;  and  while  I  get  one  up 
do  you  and  Master  William  tie  the  legs  of  the  fowls, 
and  put  them  into  the  boat :  as  for  the  cow,  she  can- 
not be  brought  on  shore ;  she  is  still  lying  down,  and, 
I  expect,  won't  get  up  again  any  more ;  it  is  the  way 
with  those  animals ;  however,  I  have  given  her  plenty 
of  hay,  and  if  she  don't  rise,  why,  I  will  kill  her,  and 
we  can  salt  her  down." 

Ready  went  down  below,  and  the  squealing  of  the 
pig  was  soon  heard ;  he  came  on  deck  with  it  hanging 
over  his  back  by  the  hind  legs,  and  threw  it  into  the 
sea  over  the  gunnel ;  the  pig  floundered  at  first,  but 
after  a  few  seconds  turned  its  head  away  from  the 
ship,  and  swam  for  the  shore. 

"  He  goes  ashore  straight  enough,"  said  Ready,  who, 
with  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William,  was  watching  the 
animal ;  but  a  minute  afterward  Ready  exclaimed : 

"  I  thought  as  much — we've  lost  him !" 

"How?"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  D'ye  see  that  black  thing  above  water  pushing  so 
fast  to  the  animal — that's  the  back  fin  of  a  shark,  and 
he  will  have  the  poor  thing — there,  he's  got  him !" 
said  Ready,  as  the  pig  disappeared  under  the  water 


MASTERMAN  READY.  75 

with  a  heavy  splash.  "  Well,  he's  gone ;  better  the 
pig  than  your  little  children,  Mr.  Seagrave." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  God  be  praised  !  that  monster  might 
have  been  close  to  them  at  the  time  that  Juno  took 
them  into  the  water." 

"He  was  not  far  off,  I  reckon,"  replied  Keady; 
"  however,  he  must  be  content  with  what  he  has  got, 
for  he'll  get  no  more.  "We'll  go  down  now  and  tie  the 
legs  of  the  other  four  pigs,  and  bring  them  up  ;  with 
what's  already  in  the  boat  they  will  be  a  good  load." 

As  soon  as  the  pigs  were  in  the  boat,  Ready  sculled 
it  on  shore,  while  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William  brought 
up  the  goats  and  sheep  ready  for  the  next  trip.  Ready 
soon  returned.  "  Now  this  will  be  our  last  trip  for  to- 
day, and,  if  I  am  any  judge  of  the  weather,  our  last 
trip  for  some  days ;  it  is  banking  up  very  thick  in  the 
offing.  This  trip  we'll  be  able  to  put  into  the  boat  a 
bag  of  corn  for  the  creatures,  in  case  we  require  it,  and 
then  we  may  say  good-by  to  the  ship  for  a  day  or  two 
at  least.  I  have  given  the  cow  water,  left  a  bucket  or 
two  with  her,  and  a  truss  of  hay  ;  but  I  don't  much 
expect  we  shall  find  her  alive  when  we  come  back  to 
the  ship  again." 

They  then  all  got  into  the  boat,  which  was  very 
deeply  laden,  for  the  corn  was  heavy,  but  they  got  safe 
on  shore,  although  they  leaked  very  much.  Having 
landed  the  goats  and  sheep,  William  led  them  up  to  the 
tent,  where  they  remained  very  quietly ;  the  pigs  had 
run  away,  and  so  had  the  fowls ;  but  this  was  to  be  ex- 
pected. The  beach  was  quite  covered  with  the  quantity 
of  things  they  had  brought  on  shore. 

"  That's  what  I  call  a  good  day's  work,  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,"  said  Ready ;  "  the  little  boat  has  done  its  duty 


76  MASTERMAN  READY. 

well ;  but  we  must  not  venture  in  her  again  until  I 
have  put  her  into  a  little  better  condition.-" 

They  were  not  at  all  sorry,  after  their  hard  day's 
work,  to  find  that  Juno  had  prepared  coffee  for  them  ; 
and  while  they  were  drinking  it,  they  narrated  to  Mrs. 
Seagrave  the  tragical  death  of  the  poor  pig  by  the 
shark.  Mrs.  Seagrave  embraced  her  little  boy,  who 
was  in  her  arms,  when  she  heard  the  tale  ;  and  when 
she  lifted  up  her  head  again  there  was  a  tear  of  thank 
fulness  rolling  down  her  cheek.  Poor  Juno  appeared 
quite  frightened  at  the  danger  which  the  children  had 
been  in,  even  now  that  it  was  all  over. 

"  "We  shall  have  plenty  to  do  here  to-morrow,"  ob- 
served  Mr.  Seagrave,  "in  getting  things  into  theh 
places." 

"  We  shall  have  plenty  to  do  for  some  time,  I  ex- 
pect," replied  Ready.  "  In  two  months,  or  thereabouts, 
we  shall  have  the  rainy  season  come  on,  and  we  must 
be  under  cover  before  that  time,  if  we  possibly  can. 
"We  can't  expect  this  weather  to  last  all  the  year 
round." 

"  "What's  the  first  thing  we  must  do,  Ready  ?"  in- 
quired Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  To-morrow  we  had  better  fix  up  another  tent  or 
two,  to  stow  away  all  the  articles  we  have  br^aght  on 
shore:  that  will  be  one  good  day's  work;  we  shall 
then  know  where  to  lay  our  hands  upon  everything, 
and  see  what  we  want." 

"  That's  very  true ;  and  what  shall  we  do  then  ?" 

"  Why  then,  sir,  I  think  we  must  male  a  little  ex- 
pedition to  explore  the  island,  and  find  out  where  we 
must  build  our  house." 


MA8TERMAN  READY.  77 

"  Can  we  build  a  house  ?"  said  William. 

•'  Oh,  yes,  sir,  and  with  more  ease  than  you  would 
think.  There's  no  tree  so  valuable  as  the  cocoanut- 
tree  ;  and  the  wood  is  so  light  that  wo  can  easily  move 
it  about." 

"  Why,  what  are  the  great  merits  of  the  cocoanut- 
tree  ?"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  I'll  tell  you,  madam  :  in  the  first  place,  you  have 
the  wood  to  build  the  house  with  ;  then  you  have  the 
bark  with  which  you  can  make  ropes  and  lines,  and 
fishing-nets,  if  you  please ;  then  you  have  the  leaves 
for  thatching  your  house,  and  also  for  thatching  your 
head,  if  you  please,  for  you  may  make  good  hats  out 
of  it,  and  baskets  also  ;  then  you  have  the  fruit,  which, 
as  a  nut,  is  good  to  eat,  and  very  useful  in  cooking  ; 
and  in  the  young  nut  is  the  milk,  which  is  also  very 
wholesome ;  then  you  have  the  oil  to  burn,  and  the 
shell  to  make  cups  of,  if  you  haven't  any,  and  then  you 
can  draw  toddy  from  the  tree,  which  is  very  pleasant 
to  drink  when  fresh,  but  will  make  you  tipsy  if  it  is 
kept  too  long ;  and  then,  after  that,  you  may  turn  the 
toddy  into  arrack,  which  is  a  very  strong  spirit.  Now 
there  is  no  tree  which  yields  so  many  useful  things  to 
man,  for  it  supplies  him  with  almost  everything." 

"  I  had  no  idea  of  that,"  replied  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  At  all  events,  we've  plenty  of  them,"  said  William. 

"  Yes,  Master  William,  there's  no  want  of  them ; 
and  I  am  glad  of  it,  for  had  there  been  but  few,  I 
should  not  have  liked  to  destroy  them.  People  might 
be  wrecked  here  as  well  as  ourselves,  and  without  the 
good  fortune  that  we  have  had  in  getting  so  many 
necessaries,  and  more  than  necessaries,  on  shore,  and 


78  MASTERMAN  READY. 

they  might  be  obliged  to  depend  wholly  upon  the 
cocoanut-trees  for  their  support." 

"  Well,  I  think  it's  time  for  us  all  to  go  to  bed," 
said  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  "William,  bring  your  mamma  the 
Bible." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  79 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

T  O»M  MY     MADE     OF     USE. 

WE  shall,  for  the  future,  omit  the  regular  daily 
routine  of  our  party  on  the  island,  as  we  shall  have 
quite  enough  to  do  to  narrate  the  various  incidents 
which  each  day  brought  forth.  When  breakfast  was 
over  the  next  morning,  Ready  observed :  "  Now,  Mr. 
Seagrave,  we  must  hold  a  counsel  of  war,  and  decide 
upon  an  exploring  party  for  to-morrow ;  and,  when  we 
have  settled  that,  we  will  find  some  useful  way  of 
employing  ourselves  for  the  rest  of  the  day.  The  first 
question  is,  of  whom  is  the  party  to  consist  ? — and  upon 
that  I  wish  to  hear  your  opinion." 

"  "Why,  Ready,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  it  appears 
to  me  that  you  and  I  should  go." 

"  Surely  not  both  of  you,  my  dear,"  interrupted  Mrs. 
Seagrave.  "  You  can  do  without  my  husband,  can  you 
not,  Ready?" 

"  I  certainly  should  have  liked  to  have  had  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  to  advise  with,  ma'am,"  replied  Ready ;  "  but 
still  I  have  thought  upon  it,  and  do  not  think  that 
Master  William  would  be  quite  sufficient  protection  for 
you  ;  or,  at  all  events,  you  would  not  feel  that  he  was, 
which  is  much  the  same  thing  ;  and  so,  perhaps,  if  Mr. 
Seagrave  has  no  objection,  it  would  perhaps  be  better 
that  he  remained  with  3rou." 


80  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Would  you  go  alone,  then,  Ready  ?"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave. 

"  No,  sir,  I  do  not  think  that  would  be  right,  either 
—some  accident  might  happen;  there  is  no  saying 
what  might  happen,  although  there  is  every  appearance 
of  safety ;  but  we  are  in  the  hands  of  Providence,  who 
doeth  with  us  as  He  thinks  fit.  I  should  like,  there- 
fore, to  have  some  one  with  me ;  the  question  is, 
whether  it  be  Master  William  or  Juno  ?" 

"  Take  me,"  said  Tommy. 

"  Take  you,  Master  Tommy  !"  said  Ready,  laughing  ; 
"  then  I  must  take  Juno  to  take  care  of  you.  No  ;  I 
think  they  cannot  spare  you.  Your  mamma  will  want 
you  when  we  are  gone ;  you  are  so  useful  in  gathering 
wood  for  the  fire,  and  taking  care  of  your  little  sister 
and  brother,  that  your  mother  cannot  part  with  you ; 
so  I  must  have  either  Juno  or  your  brother  William." 

"  And  which  would  you  prefer,  Ready  ?"  said  Mrs. 
Seagrave. 

"  Master  William,  certainly,  ma'am,  if  you  will  let 
him  go  with  me,  as  you  could  ill  spare  the  girl.  I  was 
only  afraid  you  would  raise  some  objection." 

'•  Indeed,  I  do  not  like  it ;  I  would  rather  lose  Juno 
for  a  time,"  replied  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  My  dear  wife,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  what  did 
Ready  just  now  say? — that  we  were  in  the  hands  of 
Providence.  Recollect  how  Providence  has  preserved 
us  in  such  awful  dangers — how  we  are  landed  in  safety. 
And  now  will  you  not  put  trust  in  that  Providence, 
when  the  dangers  are,  as  I  trust,  only  imaginary  ?" 

"  I  was  wrong,  my  dear  husband,  very  wrong ;  but 
sickness  and  suffering  have  made  me,  I  fear,  not  only 
nervous  and  frightened,  but  selfish ;  I  must  and  will 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  81 

shake  it  off.  Hitherto  I  have  only  been  a  clog  and  an 
incumbrance  to  you ;  but  I  trust  I  shall  soon  behave 
better,  and  make  myself  useful.  If  you  think,  my  dear 
husband,  that  it  would  be  better  that  you  should  go 
with  Ready,  instead  of  William,  I  am  quite  content : 
I  was  very  wrong,  indeed,  to  raise  an  objection  at  the 
time.  Go,  then,  with  Ready,  and  may  Heaven  protect 
you  both !" 

"  No,  ma'am,"  replied  Ready,  "  Master  "William  will 
do  just  as  well.  Indeed,  ma'am,  I  would  go  by  myself 
with  pleasure ;  I  have  no  fears  of  anything  happening, 
but  still  we  know  not  what  the  day  may  bring  forth, 
and  I  might  be  taken  ill — I  might  hurt  myself — I  am 
an  old  man,  you  know  ;  and  then  I  was  thinking  that 
if  any  accident  was  to  happen  to  me,  you  might  miss 
me — that's  all — I  did  not  say  it  for  my  own  sake." 

"  That  I  am  sure  you  did  not,  my  good  old  friend," 
replied  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  "  but  a  mother  is  foolish  at 
times." 

"  Overanxious,  ma'am,  perhaps,  but  not  foolish,  beg- 
ging your  pardon,"  replied  Ready. 

"  Well,  then,  William  shall  go  with  you,  Ready — 
that  point's  settled,"  observed  Mr.  Seagrave :  "  what 
is.  the  next  ?" 

"  The  next  is  to  prepare  for  our  journey.  We  must 
take  some  provisions  and  water  with  us,  a  gun  and 
some  ammunition,  a  large  ax  for  me,  and  one  of  the 
hatchets  for  Master  William;  and,  if  you  please, 
Romulus  and  Remus  had  better  come  with  us,  and 
Vixen  shall  remain  with  you.  Juno,  put  a  piece  of 
beef  and  a  piece  of  pork  into  the  pot.  Master  William, 
will  you  fill  four  quart  bottles  with  water,  while  I  sew 
up  a  knapsack  out  of  canvas  for  each  of  us  ?" 


82  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  And  what  shall  I  do,  Ready  ?"  said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  "Why,  sir,  if  you  will  have  the  kindness  to  sharpen 
the  ax  and  the  hatchet  on  the  grindstone,  it  would  be 
of  great  service,  and  Master  Tommy  can  turn  it,  he  is 
such  a  strong  little  man,  and  so  fond  of  work." 

Tommy  jumped  up  directly;  he  was  quite  strong 
enough  to  turn  the  grindstone,  but  he  was  much  fonder 
of  play  than  work ;  but  as  Ready  had  said  that  he  was 
fond  of  it,  he  wished  to  prove  that  such  was  the  case, 
and  Tommy  did  work  very  hard ;  for  Ready,  who 
was  making  the  knapsacks,  sat  by  them,  and  when 
Tommy  was  inclined  to  leave  off,  he  praised  him  for 
behaving  so  well,  and  pointed  out  to  Mrs.  Seagrave 
what  a  clever  boy  he  was ;  so  Tommy,  who  liked 
to  be  praised,  turned  the  handle  of  the  grindstone 
until  the  perspiration  ran  down  his  forehead.  Before 
they  went  to  prayers  and  retired  for  the  night  the  ax 
was  sharpened,  the  knapsacks  made,  and  everything 
else  ready. 

""When  do  you  intend  to  start,  Ready?"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave. 

"  Why,  sir,  I  should  like  to  get  off  at  the  dawn  of 
day,  when  the  heat  is  not  so  great." 

"  And  when  do  you  intend  to  come  back  ?"  said  Mrs. 
Seagrave. 

"Why,  madam,  we  have  provisions  enough  for 
three  days ;  if  we  start  to-morrow  morning,  which  is 
Wednesday,  I  hope  to  be  back  some  time  on  Friday 
evening ;  but  I  won't  be  later  than  Saturday  morning 
if  I  can  help  it." 

"  Good-night — and  good-by,  mother,"  said  William, 
"  for  I  shall  not  see  you  to-morrow." 

"  God  bless  and  protect  you,  my  dear  child,"  replied 


MASTERMAN  READY.  83 

Mrs.  Seagrave.  "  Take  care  of  him,  Ready,  and  good- 
by  to  you  till  we  meet." 

Mrs.  Seagrave  went  into  the  tent  to  hide  the  tears 
which  she  could  not  suppress.  "  It's  all  new  to  her 
now,  sir,"  observed  Keady  ;  "  in  a  little  while  she  won't 
mind  it  so  much." 

"  Yery  true,  Ready,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  she 
is  nervous  and  weak  just  now ;  and  as  she  never  has 
yet  parted  with  her  children  for  an  hour,  and  her  boy 
is  going  she  knows  not  where,  I  think  she  takes  it 
pretty  well." 

"  She  does,  sir,  she  does,"  replied  Ready ;  "  a  mother's 
fears  are  as  natural  as  a  mother's  love.  If  I  find  I  can- 
not do  all  I  wish  by  the  time  agreed,  I  will  come  back, 
at  all  events,  and  start  again." 

"  Do,  Ready ;  that  will  give  her  confidence ;  and 
now,  good-by,  and  may  success  attend  you  1" 


MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  XIY. 

THE   EXPLORERS    START. 

KEADY  was  up  before  the  sun  had  appeared,  and  he 
awakened  William ;  they  dressed  themselves  in  silence, 
because  they  did  not  wish  that  Mrs.  Seagrave  should 
be  disturbed.  The  knapsacks  had  been  already  packed, 
with  two  bottles  of  water  in  each,  wrapped  round  with 
cocoanut  leaves  to  prevent  their  breaking,  and  the 
beef  and  pork  divided  between  each  knapsack.  Ready's, 
which  was  larger  than  William's,  held  the  biscuit  and 
several  other  things  which  Ready  had  prepared  in  case 
they  might  require  them;  and  round  his  waist  he 
twisted  two  cords,  to  tie  the  dogs  if  required. 

As  soon  as  the  knapsacks  were  on,  Ready  took  the 
ax  and  gun,  and  asked  William  if  he  thought  he 
could  carry  a  small  spade  on  his  shoulder,  which  they 
had  brought  on  shore  along  with  the  shovels.  William 
replied  that  he  could;  and  the  dogs,  who  appeared 
to  know  they  were  going,  were  already  standing  by 
them,  when  Ready  went  to  one  of  the  small  water- 
casks,  took  a  drink  himself,  gave  one  to  William,  and 
then  as  much  to  the  dogs  as  they  would  drink.  Hav- 
ing done  this,  just  as  the  sun  rose,  they  turned  into 
the  cocoanut  grove,  and  were  soon  out  of  sight  of  the 
tents. 

"  Now,  Master  William,  do  you  know,"  said  Ready, 


MASTERMAN  READY.  85 

stopping  after  they  had  walked  twenty  yards,  "  by 
what  means  we  may  find  our  way  back  again ;  for  you 
see  this  forest  of  trees  is  rather  puzzling,  and  there  is 
no  path  to  guide  us  ?" 

"  No,  I  am  sure  I  cannot  tell :  I  was  thinking  of  the 
very  same  thing  when  you  spoke  ;  and  of  Tom  Thumb, 
who  strewed  peas  to  find  his  way  back,  but  could  not 
do  it,  because  the  birds  picked  them  all  up." 

"  Well,  Tom  Thumb  did  not  manage  well,  and  we 
must  try  to  do  better ;  we  must  do  as  the  Americans 
always  do  in  their  woods — we  must  Haze  the  trees." 

"  Blaze  them !  What,  set  fire  to  them  ?"  replied 
William. 

"  No,  no,  Master  William.  Blaze  is  a  term  they  use 
(why,  I  know  not,  except  that  there  must  be  a  term 
for  everything)  when  they  cut  a  slice  off  the  trunk  of  a 
tree,  just  with  one  blow  of  a  sharp  ax,  as  a  mark  to 
find  their  way  back  again.  They  do  not  blaze  every 
tree,  but  about  every  tenth  tree  as  they  go  along,  first 
one  to  the  right,  and  then  one  to  the  left,  which  is 
quite  sufficient ;  and  it  is  very  little  trouble — they  do 
it  as  they  walk  along  without  stopping.  So  now  we'll 
begin :  you  take  the  other  side — it  will  be  more  handy 
for  you  to  have  your  hatchet  in  your  right  hand ;  I 
can  use  my  left.  See  now — just  a  slice  off  the  bark — 
the  weight  of  the  ax  does  it  almost,  and  it  will  serve 
for  a  guide  through  the  forest  for  years." 

"  What  an  excellent  plan !"  observed  William,  as 
they  walked  along,  occasionally  marking  the  trees. 

"  But  I  have  another  friend  in  my  pocket,"  replied 
Heady,  "  and  I  must  use  him  soon." 

"  What  is  that  ?" 

"  Poor  Captain  Osborn's  pocket-compass.     You  see, 


g6  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"William,  the  blazing  will  direct  us  how  to  go  back 
again  ;  but  it  will  not  tell  us  what  course  we  are  now 
to  steer.  At  present,  I  know  we  are  going  right,  as  1 
can  see  through  the  wood  behind  us ;  but  by  and  by 
we  shall  not  be  able,  and  then  I  must  make  use  of  the 
compass." 

"  I  understand  that  very  well ;  but  tell  me,  Ready, 
why  do  you  bring  the  spade  with  us — what  will  be  the 
use  of  it  ?  You  never  said  you  were  going  to  take  one 
yesterday  morning." 

"  No,  Master  William,  I  did  not,  as  I  did  not  like  to 
make  your  mother  anxious  about  any  thing ;  but  the  fact 
is,  I  am  very  anxious  myself  about  one  thing,  and  that 
is  as  to  whetheV  there  is  any  water  on  this  island ;  if 
there  is  not,  we  shall  have  to  quit  it  sooner  or  later, 
for  although  we  may  get  water  by  digging  in  the  sand, 
it  would  be  too  brackish  to  use  for  any  time,  and  would 
make  us  all  ill.  We  have  not  much  on  shore  now ;  and 
if  the  bad  weather  comes  on,  we  ma}7  not  be  able  to 
get  any  more  from  the  wreck.  Now,  very  often,  there 
will  be  water  if  you  dig  for  it,  although  it  does  not 
show  above  ground ;  and  therefore  I  brought  the 
spade." 

"  You  think  of  everything,  Ready." 

"  No,  I  do  not,  Master  William  ;  but  in  our  present 
situation,  I  think  of  more  things  than  perhaps  your 
father  and  mother  would ;  they  have  never  known 
what  it  is  to  be  put  to  their  shifts — they  have  never 
been  in  situations  requiring  them  to  think  about  such 
things ;  but  a  man  like  me,  who  has  been  all  his  life 
at  sea,  and  who  has  been  wrecked,  and  suffered  hard- 
ships and  difficulties,  and  has  been  obliged  to  think  or 
die,  has  a  greater  knowledge,  not  only  from  his  own 


MASTERMA  N  READ  T.  87 

sufferings,  but  by  hearing  how  others  have  acted  when 
they  were  in  distress.  Necessity,  they  say,  is  the 
mother  of  invention ;  and  it's  very  true,  Master  Will- 
iam, for  it  sharpens  a  man's  wits  ;  and  it  is  very  curious 
what  people  do  contrive  when  they  are  compelled  to 
do  so,  especially  seamen." 

"  And  where  are  we  going  to  now,  Ready  ?" 

"  Right  to  the  leeward  side  of  the  island ;  and  I  hope 
we  shall  be  there  before  it  is  dark." 

"  Why  do  you  call  it  the  leeward  side  of  the  island  ?" 

"Because  among  these  islands  the  winds  almost 
always  blow  one  way :  we  landed  on  the  windward 
side ;  the  wind  is  at  our  back ;  now  put  up  your  finger, 
and  you  will  feel  it  even  among  the  trees." 

"  No,  I  cannot,"  replied  William,  as  he  held  up  his 
finger. 

"  Then  wet  your  finger,  and  try  again." 

William  wet  his  finger  in  his  mouth,  and  held  it  up 
again.  "  Yes,  I  do  feel  it  now,"  said  he  ;  "  but  why  is 
that  2" 

"  Because  the  wind  blows  against  the  wet,  and  you 
feel  the  cold." 

As  Ready  said  this  the  dogs  growled,  then  started 
forward,  and  barked. 

"  What  can  there  be  ?"  cried  William. 

"  Stand  still,  Master  William,"  replied  Ready,  cock- 
ing his  gun,  "  and  I  will  go  forward  to  see."  Ready 
advanced  cautiously,  with  the  gun  to  his  hip.  The 
dogs  barked  more  furiously ;  and  at  last,  out  of  a  heap 
of  cocoanut  leaves  collected  together,  out  burst  all  the 
pigs  which  had  been  brought  on  shore,  grunting  and 
galloping  away  as  fast  as  they  could,  with  the  dogs  in 
pursuit  of  them. 


gg  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  It's  only  the  pigs,  Master  William,"  said  Keady, 
smiling ;  "  I  never  thought  I  should  be  half -frightened 
by  a  tame  pig.  Here,  Komulus !  here,  Remus !  come 
back !"  continued  Keady,  calling  to  the  dogs.  "  Well, 
Master  William,  this  is  our  first  adventure." 

"  I  hope  we  shall  not  meet  with  any  one  more  dan- 
gerous," replied  William,  laughing ;  "  but  I  must  say 
that  I  was  alarmed." 

"  No  wonder ;  for  although  not  likely,  it  is  possible 
there  may  be  wild  animals  on  this  island,  or  even 
savages ;  we  must  always  be  prepared  for  the  worst  in 
an  unknown  country ;  but  being  alarmed  is  one  thing, 
Master  William,  and  being  afraid  is  another ;  a  man 
may  be  alarmed  and  stand  his  ground  as  you  did  ;  but 
a  man  that  is  afraid  will  run  away." 

"  I  do  not  think  I  shall  ever  run  away  and  leave  you, 
Ready,  if  there  is  danger." 

"  I'm  sure  you  will  not,  Master  William ;  but  still 
you  must  not  be  rash :  and  now  we  will. go  on  again  as 
soon  as  I  have  uncocked  my  gun.  While  I  think  of 
it,  Master  William,  as  you  may  have  to  carry  one  very 
often,  never  by  any  chance  leave  your  gun  cocked ;  I 
have  seen  more  accidents  happen  from  people  cocking 
their  guns,  and  forgetting  to  uncock  them  afterward, 
than  you  can  have  any  idea  of.  Recollect,  until  you 
want  to  fire,  never  cock  your  gun.  Now  I  must  look  at 
the  compass,  for  we  have  turned  about,  so  that  I  do 
not  know  which  way  we  are  to  go.  All's  right  now — 
come  along,  dogs !" 

Ready  and  William  continued  their  way  through 
the  cocoanut  grove  for  more  than  an  hour  longer, 
marking  the  trees  as  they  went  along ;  they  then  sat 


MASTERMAN  READT.  89 

clown  to  take  their  breakfast,  and  the  two  dogs  lay 
c!o\vn  by  them. 

"  Don't  give  the  dogs  any  water,  Master  "William, 
nor  any  of  the  salt  meat ;  give  them  biscuit  only." 

"  But  they  are  very  thirsty ;  may  I  not  give  them  a 
little?" 

"No;  we  shall  want  it  all  ourselves,  in  the  first 
place ;  and,  in  the  next,  I  wish  them  to  be  thirsty. 
And,  Master  William,  take  my  advice,  and  drink  only 
a  small  quantity  of  water  at  a  time ;  it  is  quite  suffi- 
cient to  quench  the  thirst ;  and  the  more  you  drink 
the  more  you  want." 

"  Then  I  should  not  eat  so  much  salt  meat." 

"  Very  true ;  the  less  you  eat  the  better,  unless  we 
find  water  and  fill  our  bottles  again." 

"  But  we  have  our  axes,  and  can  always  cut  down  a 
cocoanut,  and  get  the  milk  from  the  young  nuts." 

"  Yery  true ;  and  fortunate  it  is  that  we  have  that 
to  resort  to ;  but  still  we  could  not  do  very  well  on 
cocoanut-milk  alone,  even  if  it  were  to  be  procured  all 
the  year  round.  Now,  Master  William,  we  will  go  on 
if  you  do  not  feel  tired." 

"  Not  in  the  least ;  I  am  tired  of  seeing  nothing  but 
the  stems  of  the  cocoanut-trees,  and  shall  be  very  glad 
when  we  are  through  the  wood." 

"  Then  the  faster  we  walk  the  better,"  said  Ready ; 
"as  far  as  I  could  judge  as  we  were  coming  to  the 
island  we  must  be  about  halfway  across  now." 

Ready  and  William  recommenced  their  journey; 
and,  after  half  an  hour's  walking,  they  found  that  the 
ground  was  not  so  level  as  it  had  been — sometimes 
they  went  gradually  uphill,  at  others  down. 


90  MASTERMAN  RE  A  D  T. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  find  that  the  island  is  not  so  flat 
here,  Master  Willy ;  we  have  a  better  chance  of  find- 
ing water." 

"  But,  look,  it  is  much  steeper  before  us,"  replied 
"William,  as  he  barked  a  tree ;  "  it's  quite  a  hill." 

"  So  much  the  better — let  us  push  on." 

The  ground  now  became  more  undulating,  although 
still  covered  with  cocoanut-trees,  even  thicker  together 
than  before.  They  continued  their  march,  occasionally 
looking  at  the  compass,  until  "William  showed  symptoms 
of  weariness,  for  the  wood  had  become  more  difficult 
to  get  through  than  at  first. 

"  How  many  miles  do  you  think  we  have  walked, 
Ready?"  said  Willy. 

"  About  eight,  I  should  think." 

"  Not  more  than  eight  ?" 

"  No ;  I  do  not  think  that  altogether  we  have  made 
more  than  two  miles  an  hour :  it's  slow  work,  traveling 
by  compass,  and  marking  the  trees ;  but  I  think  the 
wood  looks  lighter  before  us,  now  that  we  are  at  the 
top  of  this  hill." 

"  It  does,  Ready ;  I  fancy  I  can  see  the  blue  sky 
again." 

"  Your  eyes  are  younger  than  mine,  Master  William, 
and  perhaps  you  may — however,  we  shall  soon  find 
out." 

They  now  descended  into  a  small  hollow,  and  then 
went  uphill  again.  As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the 
top  William  cried  out :  "  The  sea,  Ready !  there's  the 
sea!" 

"Very  true,  Master  William,  and  I'm  not  sorry 
for  it." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  91 

"  I  thought  we  never  should  have  got  out  of  that 
nasty  wood  again,"  said  "William,  as  he  impatiently 
pushed  on,  and  at  last  stood  clear  of  the  cocoanut 
grove.  Eeady  soon  joined  him,  and  they  surveyed 
the  scene  before  them  in  silence. 


92  MASTERMAN  READY, 


CHAPTEK  XV, 

A     LOVELY     SPOT. 

"  OH  !  how  beautiful !"  exclaimed  William,  at  last ; 
"  I'm  sure  mamma  would  like  to  live  here.  I  thought 
the  other  side  of  the  island  very  pretty,  but  it's  nothing 
compared  to  this." 

"  It's  very  beautiful,  Master  "William,"  replied  Keady 
thoughtfully. 

Perhaps  a  more  lovely  scene  could  scarcely  be 
imagined.  The  cocoanut  grove  terminated  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  beach  very  abruptly,  for 
there  was  a  rapid  descent  for  about  thirty  feet  from 
where  they  stood  to  the  land  below,  on  which  was  a 
mixture  of  little  grass  knolls  and  brushwood,  to  about 
fifty  yards  from  the  water's  edge,  where  it  was  met 
with  dazzling  white  sand,  occasionally  divided  by 
narrow  ridges  of  rock  which  ran  inland.  The  water 
was  of  a  deep  blue,  except  where  it  was  broken  into 
white  foam  on  the  reefs,  which  extended  for  miles 
from  the  beach,  and  the  rocks  of  which  now  and  then 
showed  themselves  above  water.  On  the  rocks  were 
perched  crowds  of  gannets  and  men-of-war  birds,  while 
others  wheeled  in  the  air,  every  now  and  then  darting 
down  into  the  blue  sea,  and  bringing  up  in  their  bills 
a  fish  out  of  the  shoals,  which  rippled  the  water,  or 
bounded  clear  of  it  in  their  gambols.  The  form  of  the 
coast  was  that  of  a  horseshoe  bay — two  points  of  land 


MASTERMAN  READY.  93 

covered  with  shrubs  extending  far  out  on  each  side. 
The  line  of  the  horizon,  far  out  at  sea,  was  clear  and 
unbroken. 

Ready  remained  for  some  time  without  speaking ; 
he  scanned  the  horizon  right  and  left ;  he  surveyed  the 
reefs  in  the  distance ;  and  then  he  turned  his  eyes  along 
the  land.  At  last  William  said  : 

"  What  are  you  thinking  of,  Ready  ?" 

"  Why,  I  am  thinking  that  we  must  look  for  water 
as  fast  as  we  can." 

"  But  why  are  you  so  anxious  ?" 

"  Because,  Master  Willy,  I  can  see  no  island  to  lee- 
ward of  us,  as  I  expected,  and  therefore  there  is  less 
chance  of  getting  off  this  island ;  and  this  bay, 
although  very  beautiful,  is  full  of  reefs,  and  I  see  no 
inlet,  which  makes  it  awkward  for  many  reasons.  But 
we  cannot  judge  at  first  sight.  Let  us  now  sit  down 
and  take  our  dinner,  and  after  that  we  will  explore  a 
little.  Stop — before  we  leave  where  we  stand  we  must 
make  a  good  mark  upon  the  trees  close  to  where  we 
have  come  out  of  the  wood,  or  we  shall  not  find  our 
Haze  again  in  a  hurry  when  we  wish  to  go  back 
again." 

Ready  cut  two  wide  marks  in  the  stems  of  the  cocoa- 
nut-trees,  and  then  descended  with  William  to  the  low 
ground,  where  they  sat  down  to  eat  their  dinner.  As 
soon  as  their  meal  was  finished,  they  first  walked 
down  to  the  water's  edge,  and  Ready  turned  his  eyes 
inland  to  see  if  he  could  discover  any  little  ravine  or 
hollow  which  might  be  likely  to  contain  fresh  water. 
"  There  are  one  or  two  places  there,"  observed  Ready, 
pointing  to  them  with  his  finger,  "  where  the  water 
has  run  down  in  the  rainy  season ;  we  must  examine 


94  MASTERMAN  READY. 

them  carefully,  but  not  now  ;  to-morrow  will  be  time 
enough.  I  want  to  find  out  whether  there  is  any 
means  of  getting  our  little  boat  through  this  reef  of 
rocks,  or  otherwise  we  shall  have  very  hard  work  (if 
we  change  our  abode  to  this  spot)  to  bring  all  our 
stores  through  that  wood  ;  it  would  take  us  weeks,  if 
not  months ;  so  we  will  pass  the  rest  of  this  day  in 
examining  the  coast,  Master  William,  and  to-morrow 
we  will  try  for  fresh  water." 

"Look  at  the  dogs,  Eeady;  they  are  drinking  the 
sea-water,  poor  things." 

"  They  won't  drink  much  of  that,  I  expect ;  you  see 
they  don't  like  it  already." 

"How  beautiful  the  corals  are — look  here,  they 
grow  like  little  trees  under  the  water — and  look  here, 
here  is  really  a  flower  in  bloom  growing  on  that  rock 
just  below  the  water." 

"Put  your  finger  to  it,  Master  "William,"  said 
Eeady. 

"William  did  so,  and  the  flower,  as  he  called  it,  im- 
mediately shut  up. 

"  Why,  it's  flesh,  and  alive  !" 

"  Yes,  it  is  ;  I  have  often  seen  them  before  :  they 
call  them,  I  think,  sea-anemones — they  are  animals ; 
but  I  don't  know  whether  they  are  shellfish  or  not. 
Creation  is  very  wonderful.  ISTow  let  us  walk  out  to 
the  end  of  this  point  of  land,  and  see  if  we  can  discover 
any  opening  in  the  reef.  The  sun  is  going  down,  and 
we  shall  not  have  more  than  an  hour's  daylight,  and 
then  we  must  look  out  for  a  place  to  sleep  in." 

"  But  what  is  that  ?"  cried  William,  pointing  to  the 
sand — "  that  round  dark  thing?" 

"  That's    what    I    am    very    glad    to    see,  Master 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  95 

"William  :  it's  a  turtle ;  they  come  up  about  this  time 
in  the  evening  to  drop  their  eggs,  and  then  they  bury 
them  in  the  sand." 

"  Can't  we  catch  them  ?" 

"  Yes,  we  can  catch  them  if  we  go  about  it  quietly  ; 
but  you  must  take  care  not  to  go  behind  them,  or  they 
will  throw  such  a  shower  of  sand  upon  you,  with  their 
hind  flappers  or  fins  that  they  would  blind  you  and 
escape  at  the  same  time.  The  way  to  catch  them  is  to 
get  at  their  heads  and  turn  them  over  on  their  backs 
by  one  of  the  fore-fins,  and  then  they  cannot  turn 
back  again." 

"  Let  us  go  and  catch  that  one." 

"  Indeed,  Master  William,  I  should  think  it  very 
foolish  to  do  it,  as  we  could  not  take  it  away,  and  it 
would  die  to-morrow  from  the  heat  of  the  sun.  It's 
not  right  to  take  life  away  uselessly,  and  if  we  destroy 
that  turtle  now,  we  may  want  it  another  time." 

"  I  did  not  think  of  that,  Beady  ;  if  we  come  to  live 
here,  I  suppose  we  shall  catch  them  whenever  we  want 
them." 

"  No,  we  shall  not,  for  they  only  come  on  shore  in 
the  breeding  season ;  but  we  will  make  a  turtle-pond 
somewhere,  which  they  cannot  get  out  of,  but  which 
the  sea  flows  into ;  and  then  when  we  catch  them  we 
will  put  them  into  it,  and  have  them  ready  for  use  as 
we  require  them." 

"  That  will  be  a  very  good  plan,"  replied  William. 

They  now  continued  their  walk ;  and,  forcing  their 
way  through  the  brushwood  which  grew  thick  upon 
the  point  of  land,  soon  arrived  at  the  end  of  it. 

"  What  is  that  out  there  ?"  said  William,  pointing  to 
the  right  of  where  they  stood. 


96  M ASTERN  AN  READY. 

"  That  is  another  island,  Master  William,  which  I 
am  very  glad  to  see,  even  in  that  direction,  although  it 
will  not  be  so  easy  to  gain  it,  if  we  are  obliged  to  leave 
this  for  want  of  water  ;  it  is,  however,  possible  that 
we  might.  It  is  a  much  larger  island  than  this,  at  all 
events,"  continued  Eeady,  scanning  the  length  of  the 
horizon,  along  which  he  could  see  the  tops  of  the  trees. 
"  Well,  Master  Willy,  we  have  done  very  well  for  our 
first  day.  I  am  rather  tired,  and  so,  I  presume,  are 
you ;  so  now  we  will  go  and  look  for  a  place  to  lie 
down,  and  pass  the  night." 

They  returned  to  the  high  ground  where  the  cocoa- 
nut  grove  ended,  and,  collecting  together  several 
branches  and  piles  of  leaves,  made  a  good  soft  bed 
under  the  trees. 

"And  now  we'll  have  a  little  water  and  go  to  bed. 
Look,  Master  William,  at  the  long  shadow  of  the  trees ! 
the  sun  has  nearly  set." 

"Shall  I  give  the  dogs  some  water  now,  Heady? 
See,  poor  Eemus  is  licking  the  sides  of  the  bottles." 

"  No,  do  not  give  them  any  :  it  appears  to  be  cruel, 
but  I  want  the  intelligence  of  the  poor  animals  to- 
morrow, and  the  want  of  water  will  make  them  very 
keen,  and  we  shall  turn  it  to  good  account.  So  now, 
William,  we  must  not  forget  to  return  thanks  to  a 
merciful  God,  and  to  beg  His  care  over  us  for  this 
night :  we  little  know  what  the  day  may  bring  forth. 
Could  you  ever  have  imagined,  a  month  back,  that  you 
would  be  on  this  island  in  company  with  an  old  man 
like  me,  sleeping  in  the  open  air  ?  If  any  one  had  told 
you  so  you  would  never  have  believed  it ;  yet  here  you 
are,  William,  and  you  see  how  He  disposeth  of  us  as 
He  thinks  proper.  Good-night,  sir !" 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  97 


CHAPTER  XYL 

FINDING    A    SPRING. 

WILLIAM  slept  as  sound  as  if  he  had  been  on  shore  in 
England,  upon  a  soft  bed  in  a  warm  room — so  did  old 
Ready,  and  when  they  awoke  the  next  morning  it  was 
broad  daylight.  The  poor  dogs  were  suffering  for 
want  of  water,  and  it  pained  William  very  much  to 
see  them  with  their  tongues  out,  panting  and  whining 
as  they  looked  up  to  him.  "  Now,  Master  William," 
said  Ready,  "  shall  we  take  our  breakfast  before  we 
start,  or  have  a  walk  first  ?" 

"  Ready,  I  cannot  really  drink  a  drop  of  water  my- 
self, and  I  am  thirsty,  unless  you  give  a  little  to  these 
poor  dogs." 

"  I  pity  the  poor  dumb  creatures  as  much  as  you  do, 
Master  Willy ;  depend  upon  it,  it's  not  out  of  unkind- 
ness  ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  kindness  to  ourselves  and 
them  too,  which  makes  me  refuse  it  to  them  ;  however, 
if  you  like,  we  will  take  a  walk  first,  and  see  if  we  can 
find  any  water.  Let  us  first  go  to  the  little  dell  to  the 
right,  and  if  we  do  not  succeed  we  will  try  further  on, 
where  the  water  has  run  down  during  the  rainy  sea- 
son." William  was  very  glad  to  go,  and  away  they 
went,  followed  by  the  dogs,  Ready  having  taken  up 
the  spade,  which  he  carried  on  his  shoulder.  They 
soon  came  to  the  dell,  and  the  dogs  put  their  noses  to 


$8  MA STERMAN  READ  T. 

the  ground  and  snuffed  about ;  Ready  watched  them  ; 
at  last  they  lay  down,  panting. 

"  Let  us  go  on,  sir,"  said  Eeady  thoughtfully.  They 
went  on  to  where  the  run  of  water  appeared  to  have 
been — the  dogs  snuffed  about  more  eagerly  than  before. 

"  You  see,  Master  William,  these  poor  dogs  are  now 
so  eager  for  water  that  if  there  is  any,  they  would  find 
it  out  where  we  never  could.  I  don't  expect  water 
above  ground,  but  there  may  be  some  below  it.  This 
beach  is  hardly  far  enough  from  the  water's  edge,  or  I 
should  try  in  the  sand  for  it." 

"  In  the  sand ! — but  would  it  not  be  salt  ?"  replied 
William. 

"  No,  not  if  at  a  good  distance  from  the  sea  beach ; 
for  you  see,  William,  the  sand  by  degrees  filters  the 
sea-water  fresh,  and  very  often,  when  the  sand  runs  in 
a  long  way  from  the  high-water  mark,  if  you  dig  down 
you  will  find  good  fresh  water  ;  at  other  times  it  is  a 
little  brackish,  but  still  fit  for  use.  I  wish  that  this 
fact  was  better  known  among  seamen  than  it  is ;  it 
would  have  saved  many  a  poor  fellow  from  a  great 
deal  of  agony.  There's  nothing  so  dreadful  as  being 
without  water,  Master  William.  I  know  what  it  is  to 
be  on  an  allowance  of  half  a  pint  a  day,  and  I  assure 
you  it  is  cruel  work." 

"  Look,  Ready,  at  Romulus  and  Remus — how  hard 
they  are  digging  with  their  paws  there  in  the  hollow." 

"  Thanks  to  Heaven  that  they  are,  Master  William. 
You  don't  know  how  happy  you  have  made  me  feel ; 
for,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  was  beginning  to  be 
alarmed." 

"  But  why  do  they  dig  ?" 

"  Because  there  is  water  there,  poor  animals.     Now 


MASTERMAN  READY.  99 

you  see  the  advantage  of  having  kept  them  in  pain  for 
a  few  hours ;  it  is  in  all  probability  the  saving  of  all 
of  us,  for  we  must  either  have  found  water  or  quitted 
this  island.  Now  let  us  help  the  poor  dogs  with  the 
spade,  and  they  shall  soon  be  rewarded  for  their  suf- 
ferings." 

Keady  walked  quickly  to  where  the  dogs  continued 
digging:  they  had  already  got  down  to  the  moist 
earth,  and  were  so  eagerly  at  work  that  it  was  with 
difficulty  he  could  get  them  out  of  his  way  to  use  his 
spade.  He  had  not  dug  two  feet  before  the  water 
trickled  down,  and  in  four  or  five  minutes  the  dogs 
had  sufficient  to  plunge  their  noses  in,  and  to  drink 
copiously. 

"Look  at  them,  sir;  how  they  enjoy  it — so  did  the 
Israelites  fainting  in  the  desert,  when  Moses  struck  the 
rock  of  stone,  and  the  water  poured  out  in  torrents  for 
their  relief.  Do  you  recollect  that  part  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, Master  "William  ?" 

"To  be  sure  I  do.  I  have  a  picture  of  it  at 
home." 

"  "Well,  I  don't  think  any  Israelite  among  them  felt 
more  grateful  than  I  do  now,  William.  This  was  the 
one  thing  wanting,  but  it  was  the  one  thing  indispen- 
sable. Now  we  have  everything  we  can  wish  for  on 
this  island,  and  if  we  are  only  content,  we  may  be 
happy — ay,  much  happier  than  are  those  who  are  wor- 
rying themselves  to  heap  up  riches,  not  knowing  who 
shall  gather  them.  See,  the  poor  animals  have  had 
enough  at  last — and  how  they  have  swelled  themselves 
out !  Now,  shall  we  go  back  to  breakfast  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  William ;  "  I  shall  enjoy  it  now,  and 
have  a  good  drink  of  water  myself." 


100  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  That  is  a  plenteous  spring,  depend  upon  it,  sir," 
said  Ready,  as  they  walked  back  to  where  they  had 
slept  and  left  their  knapsacks ;  "  but  we  must  clear  it 
out  further  up  among  the  trees,  where  the  sun  cannot 
reach  it,  and  then  it  will  be  cool,  and  not  be  dried  up. 
We  shall  have  plenty  of  work  for  the  next  year  at 
least,  if  we  remain  here.  Where  we  are  now  will  be 
a  capital  spot  to  build  our  house  on." 

As  soon  as  the  breakfast  was  over  Ready  said :  "  Now 
we  must  go  down  and  explore  the  other  point,  for  you 
see,  Master  William,  I  have  not  yet  found  a  passage 
through  the  reef,  and  as  our  little  boat  must  come 
round  this  side  of  the  island,  it  is  at  the  point  on  this 
side  that  I  must  try  to  find  an  entrance.  When  I  was 
on  the  opposite  point  it  did  appear  to  me  that  the  water 
was  not  broken  close  to  this  point ;  and  should  there 
be  a  passage  we  shall  be  very  fortunate." 

They  soon  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  point  of  land, 
and  found  that  Ready  was  not  wrong  in  his  supposi- 
tion ;  the  water  was  deep,  even  close  to  the  beach,  and 
there  was  a  passage  of  many  yards  wide.  The  sea  was 
so  smooth  and  the  water  so  clear  that  they  could  see 
down  to  the  rocky  bottom,  and  watched  the  fish  as 
they  darted  along.  "  Look  there,"  said  Willy,  point- 
ing out  about  fifty  yards  from  the  beach ;  "  a  great 
shark,  Ready." 

"  Yes,  I  see  him,  sir,"  replied  Ready :  "  there's  plenty 
of  them  here,  depend  upon  it ;  and  you  must  be  very 
careful  how  you  get  into  the  water  here :  the  sharks 
always  keep  to  the  leeward  of  the  island,  and  for  one 
you'll  find  where  Juno  bathed  your  little  brother,  you 
will  find  fifty  here.  I'm  quite  satisfied  now,  William, 
we  shall  do  very  well,  and  all  we  have  now  to  think  of 


MASTERMAN  READ  F.  101 

is  moving  away  from  the  other  side  of  the  island  as 
fast  as  possible." 

"  Shall  we  go  back  to-day  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,  for  we  shall  only  be  idle  here,  and 
your  mother  is  anxious  about  you,  depend  upon  it.  It 
is  not  twelve  o'clock,  I  should  think,  and  we  shall  have 
plenty  of  time ;  for  you  see  it  is  one  thing  to  walk 
through  a  wood  and  mark  your  way,  and  another  to 
go  back  again  with  the  path  pointed  out  to  you.  So  I 
think  we  had  better  start  at  once ;  we  will  leave  the 
spade  and  ax  here,  for  it  is  no  use  taking  them  back 
again.  The  musket  I  will  carry,  for  although  it  is  not 
likely  to  be  wanted,  still  we  must  always  be  prepared. 
First,  let  us  go  back  and  look  at  the  spring,  and  see  how 
the  water  flows,  and  then  we  will  be  off." 

As  they  walked  along  the  edge  of  the  sandy  beach 
they  found  the  sea-birds  hovering  close  to  them ;  all  of 
a  sudden  a  large  shoal  of  fish  threw  themselves  high 
and  dry  on  the  sand,  and  they  were  followed  by  several 
of  a  larger  size,  which  also  lay  flapping  on  the  beach, 
while  the  sea-birds,  darting  down  close  to  the  feet  of 
William  and  Eeady,  and  seizing  up  the  fish,  flew  away 
with  them. 

"  How  very  strange !"  said  "William,  surprised. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  you  see  how  it  is  -the  small  fish  were 
chased  by  the  larger  ones,  which  are  bonettas,  and  in 
their  fright  ran  upon  the  beach.  These  bonettas  were 
so  anxious  to  catch  them  that  they  came  on  shore  also, 
and  then  the  gannets  picked  them  all  up.  There's  a 
moral  in  this,  Master  William — when  people  are  too 
eager  in  their  pursuit  they  run  blindly  into  danger." 

"  But  the  little  fish  were  not  in  pursuit." 

"  No  ;  I  referred  to  the  large — with  the  little  fish  it 


102  MASTERMAN  READY. 

was  out  of  the  frying-pan  into  the  fire,  as  the  old  prov- 
erb says ;  but  let  us  go  on  to  the  spring." 

They  found  the  hole  which  Ready  had  dug  quite  full 
of  water,  and,  tasting  it,  it  proved  very  sweet  and  good. 
Overjoyed  at  this  discovery,  they  covered  up  the  arti- 
cles they  agreed  to  leave  behind  them  with  some  boughs 
under  the  notched  cocoanut-trees,  and,  calling  the  dogs, 
set  off  on  their  journey  back  again  to  the  cove. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  103 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  RETURN  TO  THE  TENTS. 

GUIDED  by  the  marks  made  on  the  trees,  "William  and 
Ready  made  rapid  progress  in  their  return,  and  in  less 
than  two  hours  found  themselves  almost  clear  of  the 
wood,  which  had  taken  them  nearly  eight  hours  to 
force  their  way  through  on  the  day  before. 

"  I  feel  the  wind  now,  Ready,"  observed  William ; 
"  and  we  must  be  nearly  through  the  wood ;  but  it 
appears  to  me  to  be  very  dark." 

"  I  was  just  thinking  the  same,  sir,"  replied  Ready. 
"  I  should  not  wonder  if  there  is  a  storm  brewing  up ; 
and  if  so,  the  sooner  we  are  back  again  the  better,  for 
your  mother  will  be  frightened." 

As  they  proceeded,  the  rustling  and  waving  of  the 
boughs  of  the  trees,  and  ever  and  anon  a  gust  of  wind, 
followed  by  a  moaning  and  creaking  sound,  proved 
that  such  was  the  fact ;  and  as  they  emerged  from  the 
grove  they  perceived  that  the  sky,  as  it  became  visible 
to  them,  was  of  one  dark  leaden  hue,  and  no  longer  of 
the  brilliant  hue  which  it  usually  had  presented  to 
their  sight. 

"  There  is  indeed  a  gale  coming  on,  Master  William," 
said  Ready,  as  they  cleared  the  wood  ;  "  let  us  go  on 
to  the  huts  as  fast  as  possible,  for  we  must  see  that  all 
is  as  secure  as  we  can  make  it." 


104  MASTERMAN  READY. 

The  dogs  now  bounded  forward ;  and  at  their  ap- 
pearance at  the  huts  Mr.  Seagrave  and  Juno  came  out, 
and  seeing  Ready  and  William  advancing,  made  known 
the  welcome  tidings  to  Mrs.  Seagrave,  who,  with  the 
children,  had  remained  within.  In  a  moment  more 
William  was  pressed  in  his  mother's  arms. 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  are  come  back,  Ready,"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave,  shaking  him  by  the  hand  after  he  had 
embraced  William,  "  for  I  fear  that  bad  weather  is 
coming  on." 

"  I  am  sure  of  it,"  replied  Ready,  "  and  we  must  ex- 
pect a  blusterous  night.  It  indeed  looks  threatening. 
This  will  be  one  of  the  storms  which  are  the  forerun- 
ners of  the  rainy  season.  However,  sir,  we  have  good 
news  for  you  and  must  only  take  this  as  a  warning 
to  hasten  our  departure  as  soon  as  possible.  We  shall 
have  fine  weather  after  this  for  a  month  or  so,  although 
we  must  expect  a  breeze  now  and  then.  However,  we 
must  work  hard,  and  do  our  best ;  and  now,  if  you 
please  sir,,  you  and  Juno,  Master  William  and  I,  will 
take  the  first  precaution  necessary,  which  is  to  go  down 
and  between  us,  haul  up  our  little  boat  as  far  from  the 
beach  as  we  possibly  can,  for  the  waves  will  be  high 
and  run  a  long  way  up,  and  our  boat  will  be  our  main 
dependence  soon." 

The  four  went  down  as  soon  as  Ready  had  sawed 
the  ends  of  the  spars,  which  had  been  cut  off  into  three 
rollers,  to  fix  under  the  keel ;  with  the  help  afforded 
by  them,  the  boat  was  soon  hauled  up  high  into  the 
brushwood,  where  it  was  considered  by  Ready  to  be 
perfectly  safe. 

"  I  meant  to  have  worked  upon  her  immediately," 
observed  Ready  ;  "  but  I  must  wait  now  till  the  gale 


MASTERMAN  READY.  105 

is  over ;  and  I  did  hope  to  have  got  on  board  once 
more,  and  look  after  some  things  which  I  have  since 
remembered  would  have  been  useful,  and  to  see  if  that 
poor  cow  was  alive  yet ;  but  I  strongly  suspect,"  con- 
tinued he,  looking  at  the  weather, "  that  we  shall  never 
go  on  board  of  that  poor  vessel  again.  Hear  the 
moaning  of  the  coming  storm,  sir;  look  how  the  sea- 
birds  wheel  about  and  scream,  as  if  to  proclaim  her 
doom ;  but  we  must  not  wait  here,  sir,  now — the  tents 
must  be  made  more  secure,  for  they  will  have  to  hold 
up  against  no  small  force  of  wind,  if  I  mistake  not ;  it 
won't  do  for  madam  and  the  children  to  be  blown  into 
the  woods."  When  they  arrived  at  the  tents  they 
found  Master  Tommy,  who  had  come  out  to  speak  to 
them. 

"  Well,  Tommy,  how  are  you  ?"  said  William. 

"  I  am  very  well,  and  so  is  mamma ;  we  did  not  want 
you  to  come  back — I  took  care  of  them  all." 

"  I  don't  doubt  but  you  were  very  useful,  Master 
Tommy,"  replied  Eeady ;  "  now  you  must  come  and 
help  us  get  some  cord  and  canvas  out  of  the  stores, 
that  we  may  prevent  the  rain  from  coming  into  your 
mamma's  tent ;  so  take  my  hand,  and  come  along,  and 
leave  William  to  tell  mamma  what  we  have  been 
doing." 

Ready,  assisted  by  Mr.  Seagrave,  got  out  some  heavy 
canvas  and  lines,  and  commenced  putting  it  as  a  double 
cover  over  the  tents,  to  keep  out  the  rain ;  they  also 
secured  the  tents  with  guys  and  stays  of  rope,  so  as  to 
prevent  them  being  blown  down  ;  while  Juno  with  a 
shovel  deepened  the  trench  which  had  been  made 
round  the  tents,  so  that  the  water  might  run  off  more 
easily.  They  did  not  leave  oif  work  until  all  was 


106  MA8TERMAN  READY. 

completed,  and  then  they  sat  down  to  a  late  meal. 
During  the  time  they  were  at  work  Keady  had  made 
Mr.  Seagrave  acquainted  with  what  they  had  dis- 
covered and  done  during  the  exploring  expedition,  and 
the  adventure  with  the  pigs  made  them  all  laugh 
heartily. 

As  the  sun  went  down  the  weather  threatened  still 
more ;  the  wind  now  blew  strong,  and  the  rocky  beach 
was  lashed  by  the  waves  and  white  with  spray,  while 
the  surf  roared  as  it  poured  in  and  broke  upon  the  sand 
in  the  cove.  The  whole  family  had  retired  to  bed  ex- 
cept Ready,  who  said  that  he  would  watch  the  weather 
a  little  before  he  turned  in.  The  'old  man  walked  to- 
ward the  beach  and  leaned  against  the  gunnel  of  the 
little  boat,  which  they  had  hauled  up  in  the  brushwood, 
and  there  he  remained  with  his  keen  gray  eye  fixed 
upon  the  distance,  which  was  now  one  opaque  mass, 
except  where  the  white  foam  of  the  waters  gleamed 
through  the  darkness  of  the  night.  "  Yes !"  thought 
he ;  "  the  winds  and  the  waves  are  summoned  to  do  His 
bidding,  and  evenly  do  they  work  together — as  one 
rises  so  does  the  other;  when  one  howls,  the  other 
roars  in  concert — hand  in  hand  they  go  in  their  fury 
and  their  force.  Had  they  been  called  up  but  one  week 
since,  where  would  have  been  those  who  have  now 
been,  as  it  were,  intrusted  to  my  weak  help?  The 
father,  the  mother,  the  children,  the  infant  at  the 
breast,  and  I,  the  gray-headed  old  man — all  buried 
fathoms  deep,  awaiting  our  summons  ;  but  they  were 
restrained  by  His  will,  and  by  His  will  we  were  saved. 
Will  those  timbers,  which  bore  us  here  so  miraculously 
hold  together  till  morning  ?  I  should  think  not.  What 
are  the  iron  bolts  and  fastenings  of  weak  man  com- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  10? 

pared  with  the  force  of  God's  elements  ?  They  will 
snap  as  yarns ;  and  by  to-morrow's  dawn  the  fragments 
of  the  stout  ship  will  be  washing  and  tossing  on  the 
wild  surf.  Well,  it  will  be  a  kindness  to  us,  for  the 
waters  will  perform  the  labor  which  we  could  not ; 
they  will  break  up  the  timbers  for  our  use,  and  throw 
on  shore  from  the  hold  those  articles  which  we  could 
not  reach  with  our  little  strength.  We  shall  have 
more  cause  to  be  thankful."  A  sharp  flash  of  light- 
ning struck  upon  the  old  man's  eyes,  and  obstructed 
his  vision  for  the  moment.  "  The  storm  will  soon  be 
at  its  height,"  thought  he ;  "I  will  watch  the  tents, 
and  see  how  they  stand  up  against  its  force."  Ready 
turned  away  to  walk  to  the  tents,  and  as  he  did  so 
the  rain  came  pattering  down,  and  the  wind  howled 
louder  than  before.  In  a  minute  or  two  the  darkness 
became  so  intense  that  he  could  hardly  find  his  way 
back  to  the  tents.  He  turned  round,  but  could  not  see, 
for  he  was  blinded  by  the  heavy  rain.  As  nothing 
could  be  done,  the  old  man  went  into  the  tent,  and 
sheltered  himself  from  the  storm,  although  he  would 
not  lie  down,  lest  his  services  might  be  required. 
Although  the  others  had  retired  to  bed,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Tommy  and  the  children,  they  had  not  taken 
off  their  clothes;  Mr.  Seagrave  had  thrown  himself 
down  without  undressing ;  and  William,  perceiving 
this,  had  done  the  same.  Mrs.  Seagrave,  although  she 
would  not  show  her  alarm,  had  also  remained  dressed, 
and  Juno  had  followed  her  example. 


108  MA8TERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    SHIP    BREAKS    TIP. 

THE  storm  now  raged  furiously,  the  lightning  was 
accompanied  by  loud  peals  of  thunder,  and  the  chil- 
dren awoke  and  cried  with  fright,  till  they  were  hushed 
to  sleep  again.  The  wind  howled  as  it  pressed  with 
all  its  violence  against  the  tents,  while  the  rain  poured 
off  in  torrents.  One  moment  the  canvas  of  the  tents 
would  bulge  in,  and  the  cords  which  held  it  strain  and 
crack ;  at  another,  an  eddy  of  wind  would  force  out 
the  canvas,  which  would  flap  and  flap,  while  the  rain 
found  many  an  entrance.  The  night  was  intensely 
dark,  and  the  fury  of  the  elements  was  horrible.  As 
we  stated  in  the  first  part  of  our  narrative,  the  tent  in 
which  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  children  reposed  was  on 
the  outside  of  the  others,  and  therefore  the  most  ex- 
posed. It  was  about  midnight  that  the  wind  burst  on 
them  with  greater  violence  than  before.  A  loud  crash 
was  heard  by  Ready  and  Mr.  Seagrave,  followed  by 
the  shrieks  of  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  Juno;  the  pegs  of 
the  tents  had  given  way,  and  the  inmates  were  exposed 
to  the  fury  of  the  elements.  Ready  rushed  out,  fol- 
lowed by  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William.  So  strong  was 
the  wind  and  beating  rain,  and  such  was  the  darkness, 
that  it  was  with  some  difficulty  that  by  their  united 
efforts  the  women  and  children  could  be  extricated. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  109 

Master  Tommy  was  the  first  taken  up  by  Ready ;  his 
courage  had  all  gone,  and  he  was  bellowing  most  furi- 
ously. William  took  Albert  in  charge  and  carried  him 
into  the  other  tent,  where  Tommy  sat  in  his  wet  shirt, 
roaring  most  melodiously.  Juno,  Mrs.  Seagrave,  and 
the  little  girl  were  at  last  carried  away  and  taken  into 
the  other  tent :  fortunately  no  one  was  hurt,  although 
the  frightened  children  could  not  be  pacified,  and 
joined  a  chorus  with  Tommy ;  but  it  was  of  little  con- 
sequence, for  the  wind  was  so  loud  that  they  could 
scarcely  hear  one  another  speak.  Nothing  more  could 
be  done  except  putting  the  children  into  the  beds,  and 
then  the  whole  party  sat  up  the  remainder  of  the  night 
listening  to  the  noise  of  the  wind,  the  roaring  of  the 
sea,  and  the  loud  patters  of  the  rain  against  the  canvas ; 
and  a  dreadful,  and  weary,  and  melancholy  night  they 
did  pass,  anxiously  waiting  for  the  morning.  At  dawn 
of  day  Ready  went  out  of  the  tent,  and  found  that  the 
gale  had  spent  its  force,  and  had  already  much  abated ; 
but  it  was  not  one  of  those  bright  glorious  mornings  to 
which  they  had  been  accustomed  since  their  arrival  at 
the  island ;  the  sky  was  still  dark,  and  the  clouds  were 
chasing  each  other  wildly ;  there  was  neither  sun  nor 
blue  sky  to  be  seen :  it  still  rained,  but  only  at  inter- 
vals, and  the  earth  was  soft  and  spongy  ;  the  little 
cove,  but  the  day  before  so  beautiful,  was  now  a  mass 
of  foaming  and  tumultuous  waves,  and  the  surf  was 
thrown  many  yards  upon  the  beach ;  the  horizon  was 
confused — you  could  not  distinguish  the  line  between 
the  water  and  the  sky,  and  the  whole  shore  of  the 
island  was  lined  with  a  white  foam.  Ready  turned 
his  eyes  to  where  the  ship  had  been  fixed  on  the  rocks ; 
it  was  no  longer  there — the  whole  frame  had  disap- 


HO  MASTERMAN  READY. 

peared  ;  but  the  fragments  of  it,  and  the  contents  of 
the  holds,  were  floating  about  in  every  direction,  or 
tossing  among  the  surf  on  the  beach. 

"  I  thought  as  much,"  said  Ready,  pointing  to  where 
the  ship  had  lain,  as  he  turned  round  and  found  that 
Mr.  Seagrave  had  followed  him.  "  Look,  sir,  this  gale 
has  broken  her  up  entirely.  This  is  a  warning  to  us 
not  to  remain  here  any  longer ;  we  must  make  the 
most  of  the  fine  weather  which  we  may  have  before 
the  rainy  season  sets  in — and  we  have  no  time  to  spare, 
sir,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Ready,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave — 
"  and  there  is  another  proof  of  it,"  pointing  to  the  tent 
which  had  been  blown  down.  "  It  was  a  good  mercy 
that  none  of  them  were  hurt." 

"  Yery  true,  sir ;  but  the  gale  is  breaking,  and  we 
shall  have  fine  weather  to-morrow.  Let  us  now  see 
what  we  can  do  with  the  tent,  while  Master  William 
and  Juno  try  if  they  can  get  any  breakfast." 

They  set  to  work.  Ready  and  Mr.  Seagrave  made 
it  fast  with  fresh  cords  and  pegs,  and  very  soon  had  it 
all  ready ;  but  the  beds  and  bedding  were  wet  through. 
They  hauled  over  the  wet  canvas,  and  then  left  it  to 
go  to  their  breakfast,  to  which  June  had  summoned 
them. 

"  We  need  do  no  more  at  present,  sir,"  said  Ready ; 
"by  night-time  it  will  not  be  so  wet,  and  we  can 
handle  it  easier.  I  see  a  break  in  the  sky  now,  which 
promises  fine  weather  soon — the  gale  was  too  fierce 
to  last  long.  And  now,  sir,"  said  Ready,  "  we  had 
better  work  hard  to-day,  for  we  may  save  a  great 
many  things,  which  may  be  dashed  to  pieces  on  the 
rocks  if  we  do  not  haul  them  on  the  beach.  We  can 


MASTER M A  N  READ  Y.  HI 

do  without  Juno ;  and  I  don't  think  we  want  Master 
Tommy,  who  must  stay  here  and  take  care  of  his 
mamma." 

Tommy  was,  however,  rather  sulky  after  the  events 
of  the  night,  and  he  gave  no  answer. 


112  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  XIX. 

COLLECTING     FLOTSAM. 

THEY  went  down  to  the  beach.  Ready  first  procured 
from  the  stores  a  good  stout  rope ;  and  as  the  waves 
threw  up  casks  and  timbers  of  the  vessel,  they  stopped 
them  from  being  washed  back  again,  and  either  rolled 
or  hauled  them  up  with  the  rope  until  they  were  safe 
landed.  This  occupied  them  for  the  major  part  of  the 
day ;  and  yet  they  had  not  collected  a  quarter  of  the 
articles  that  were  in  their  reach,  independent  of  the 
quantity  which  floated  about  out  at  sea  and  at  the 
entrance  of  the  cove. 

"  Well,  sir,"  said  Ready,  "  I  think  we  have  done  a 
good  day's  work ;  to-morrow  we  shall  be  able  to  do 
much  more,  for  the  sea,  you  see,  is  going  down 
already,  and  the  sun  is  showing  himself  from  the 
corner  of  that  cloud.  Now  we  will  go  to  supper,  and 
then  see  if  we  can  make  ourselves  more  comfortable 
for  the  night." 

The  tent  which  had  not  been  blown  down  was  given 
to  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  children,  and  the  other  was 
fitted  up  as  well  as  it  could  be.  The  bedding  being 
all  wet,  they  procured  some  sails  from  the  stores,  which 
being  stowed  away  further  in  the  grove,  had  not 
suffered  much  from  the  tempest ;  and  spreading  the 
canvas,  they  lay  down,  and  the  night  passed  without 


MASTERMAN  READY.  113 

any  disaster,  for  the  wind  was  now  lulled  to  a  pleasant 
breeze. 

The  next  morning  the  sun  shone  bright — the  air 
was  fresh  and  bracing ;  but  a  slight  breeze  rippled 
the  waters,  and  there  was  little  or  no  surf.  The 
various  fragments  of  the  wreck  were  tossed  by  the 
little  surf  that  still  remained ;  many  things  were  lying 
on  the  beach  which  had  landed  during  the  night,  and 
many  more  required  but  a  little  trouble  to  secure  them. 
There  appeared  to  be  a  sort  of  indraught  into  the  cove, 
as  all  the  articles  which  had  been  floating  out  at  sea 
were  now  gradually  coming  on  shore  in  that  direction. 
Eeady  and  Mr.  Seagrave  worked  till  breakfast-time, 
and  had  by  that  time  saved  a  great  many  casks  and 
packages. 

After  breakfast  they  went  down  again  to  the  beach 
and  resumed  their  labors.  "  Look,  Eeady ;  what  is 
that  ?"  said  William,  who  was  with  them,  as  he  pointed 
to  a  white-looking  mass  floating  in  the  cove. 

"  That,  sir,  is  the  poor  cow  ;  and  if  you  look  again 
you  will  see  the  sharks  are  around,  making  a  feast  of 
her  :  don't  you  see  them  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  do — what  a  quantity !" 

"  Yes,  there's  no  want  of  them,  Master  William  ;  so 
be  very  careful  how  you  get  into  the  water,  and  never 
let  Master  Tommy  go  near  it,  for  they  don't  care  how 
shallow  it  is  when  they  see  their  food.  But  now,  sir," 
said  Ready,  "  I  must  leave  you  and  Master  William  to 
do  what  you  can  in  saving  any  more  of  the  wreck, 
while  I  set  to  and  put  the  boat  in  proper  repair  ;  we 
shall  want  her  directly,  and  the  sooner  she  is  in  order 
the  better." 

Ready  left  them  at  their  employment,  and  went 


114  MASTERMAN  READY. 

away  for  his  tools  to  repair  the  boat.  During  this 
time  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William  had  occupied  them- 
selves in  collecting  the  different  articles  thrown  on 
shore,  and  rolling  up  the  casks  as  far  as  they  could. 
As  for  the  timbers  and  planks  of  the  vessel,  they  left 
them  to  be  landed  whenever  chance  might  direct; 
they  had  more  than  enough  for  any  present  use,  or, 
indeed,  for  any  use  which  it  appeared  they  might  have 
for  a  long  while. 

As  it  would  take  some  days  for  Ready  to  put  the 
boat  into  proper  order,  Mr.  Seagrave  determined  that 
he  would  go  to  the  other  side  of  the  island  with 
"William,  that  he  might  examine  it  himself ;  and  as 
Mrs.  Seagrave  had  no  objection  to  be  left  with  Ready 
and  Juno,  on  the  third  day  after  the  gale  they  set  off. 
William  led  the  way,  guiding  his  footsteps  through  the 
grove  by  the  blazing  of  the  cocoanut-trees  ;  and  in  two 
hours  they  reached  their  destination. 

"  Is  not  this  beautiful,  father  ?"  said  William. 

"  Tes,  indeed  it  is,  my  dear  boy,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave.  "  I  fancied  that  nothing  could  be  more  beauti- 
ful than  the  spot  where  we  reside  on  the  other  side  of 
the  island,  but  this  surpasses  it,  not  only  in  variety, 
but  in  extent." 

"  And  now  let  us  examine  the  spring,  father,"  said 
William,  leading  the  way  to  the  ravine. 

The  spring  was  full  and  flowing,  and  the  water 
excellent.  They  then  directed  their  steps  toward  the 
sandy  beach,  and  having  walked  some  time,  sat  down 
upon  a  coral  rock. 

"  Who  would  have  ever  imagined,  William,"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave,  "  that  this  island,  and  so  many  more  which 
abound  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  could  have  been  raised 


MASTERMAN  HEADY.  115 

by  the  work  of  little  insects  not  bigger  than  a  pin's 
head  ?" 

"  Insects,  father  !"  replied  William. 

"  Yes,  insects.  Give  me  that  piece  of  dead  coral, 
William.  Do  you  see  that  on  every  branch  there  are 
a  hundred  little  holes  ?  Well,  in  every  one  of  these 
little  holes  once  lived  a  sea-insect ;  and  as  these  insects 
increase,  so  do  the  branches  of  the  coral-trees." 

"  Yes,  I  understand  that ;  but  how  do  you  make  out 
that  this  island  was  made  by  them  ?  that's  what  I  want 
to  know." 

"  Nevertheless  it  is  true,  William,  that  almost  all  the 
islands  in  these  seas  have  been  made  by  the  labor  and 
increase  of  these  small  animals.  The  coral  grows  at 
first  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  where  it  is  not  disturbed 
by  the  winds  or  waves :  by  degrees,  as  it  increases,  it 
advances  higher  and  higher  to  the  surface,  till  at  last 
it  comes  near  to  the  top  of  the  water ;  then  it  is  like 
those  reefs  which  you  see  out  there,  William,  and  it  is 
stopped  very  much  in  its  growth  by  the  force  of  the 
winds  and  waves,  which  break  it  off,  and  of  course  it 
never  grows  above  the  water,  for  if  it  did  the  animals 
would  die." 

"  Then  how  does  it  become  an  island  ?" 

"  By  very  slow  degrees — the  time,  perhaps,  much 
depending  upon  chance ;  for  instance,  a  log  of  wood 
floating  about,  and  covered  with  barnacles,  may  ground 
upon  the  coral  reefs ;  that  would  be  a  sufficient  com- 
mencement, for  it  would  remain  above  water,  and  then 
shelter  the  coral  to  leeward  of  it,  until  a  flat  rock  had 
formed,  level  with  the  edge  of  the  water.  The  sea- 
birds  are  always  looking  for  a  place  to  rest  upon,  and 
they  would  soon  find  it,  and  then  their  droppings  would, 


116  MASTERMAN  HEADY. 

in  course  of  time,  form  a  little  patch  above  water,  and 
other  floating  substances  would  be  thrown  on  it ;  and 
lands  birds  who  are  blown  out  to  sea  might  rest 
themselves  on  it,  and  the  seeds  from  their  stomachs, 
when  dropped,  would  grow  into  trees  or  bushes." 

"I  understand  that." 

"  Well,  then,  William,  you  observe  there  is  an  island 
commenced,  as  it  were,  and,  once  commenced,  it  soon 
increases,  for  the  coral  would  then  be  protected  to  lee- 
ward, and  grow  up  fast.  Do  you  observe  how  the 
coral  reefs  extend  at  this  side  of  the  island,  where  they 
are  protected  from  the  winds  and  waves ;  and  how 
different  it  is  on  the  weather  side,  which  we  have  just 
left  ?  Just  so  the  little  patch  above  water  protects  the 
corals  to  leeward,  and  there  the  island  increases  fast ; 
for  the  birds  not  only  settle  on  it,  but  they  make  their 
nests  and  rear  their  young,  and  so  every  year  the  soil 
increases  ;  and  then  perhaps  one  cocoanut  in  its  great 
outside  shell  (which  appears  as  if  it  was  made  on  pur- 
pose to  be  washed  on  shore  in  this  way,  for  it  is  water- 
tight and  hard,  and  at  the  same  time  very  light,  so 
that  it  floats,  and  will  remain  for  months  in  the  water 
without  being  injured)  at  last  is  thrown  on  these  little 
patches — it  takes  root,  and  becomes  a  tree,  every  year 
shedding  its  large  branches,  which  are  turned  into 
mold  as  soon  as  they  decay,  and  then  dropping  its 
nuts,  which  again  take  root  and  grow  in  this  mold ; 
and  thus  they  continue,  season  after  season,  and  year 
after  year,  until  the  island  becomes  as  large  and  as 
thickly  covered  with  trees  as  the  one  we  are  now 
standing  upon.  Is  not  this  wonderful,  my  dear  boy  ? 
Is  not  He  a  great  and  good  God  who  can  make  such 
minute  animals  as  these  work  His  pleasure,  and  at  the 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  117 

time  He  thinks  fit  to  produce  such  a  beautiful  island 
as  this?" 

"  Indeed,  indeed,  He  is !"  exclaimed  "William. 

"  We  only  need  use  our  eyes,  William,  and  we  shall 
love  as  well  as  adore.  Look  at  that  shell — is  it  not 
beautifully  marked? — could  the  best  painter  in  the 
world  equal  its  coloring  ?" 

"  No,  indeed — I  should  think  not." 

"  And  yet  there  are  thousands  of  them  in  sight,  and 
perhaps  millions  more  in  the  water.  They  have  not 
been  colored  in  this  way  to  be  admired,  like  the  works 
of  man ;  for  this  island  has  been  till  now  probably 
without  any  one  upon  it,  and  no  one  has  ever  seen 
them.  It  makes  no  difference  to  Him,  who  has  but  to 
wish,  and  all  is  complete." 

For  a  few  minutes  after  this  conversation  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  and  William  were  both  silent.  Mr.  Seagrave 
then  rose  from  where  he  was  sitting.  "  Come,  William, 
let  us  now  find  our  way  back  again ;  we  have  three 
hours'  daylight  left,  and  shall  be  home  in  good  time." 

"  Yes,  in  time  for  supper,  father,"  replied  William  ; 
"  and  I  feel  that  I  shall  do  justice  to  it ;  so  the  sooner 
we  are  off  the  better." 


MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  XX. 

REPAIRING    THE   BOAT. 

EVERYTHING  was  now  preparing  for  their  removal  to 
the  leeward  side  of  the  island.  Ready  had  nearly 
completed  the  boat ;  he  had  given  it  a  thorough  repair, 
and  fitted  a  mast  and  sail.  William  and  Mr.  Seagrave 
continued  to  collect  and  secure  the  various  articles 
thrown  on  shore,  particularly  such  as  would  be  injured 
by  their  exposure  to  the  weather ;  these  they  rolled 
or  carried  into  the  cocoanut  grove,  so  as  to  be  sheltered 
from  the  sun ;  but  there  were  so  many  things  thrown 
on  shore  day  after  day  that  they  hardly  knew  what 
they  had ;  but  they  secured  case  and  cask  one  after 
another,  waiting  for  a  better  opportunity  to  examine 
their  contents.  At  last  they  collected  a  great  many 
articles  together,  and,  with  their  shovels,  covered  them 
over  with  sand,  it  being  impossible  to  get  them  from 
the  beach  without  more  time  than  they  could  spare. 

Neither  was  Mrs.  Seagrave,  who  was  now  getting 
quite  strong,  nor  Juno,  idle.  They  had  made  up  every- 
thing that  they  could  in  packages,  ready  for  moving 
to  the  other  side  of  the  island.  On  the  eighth  day 
after  the  gale  they  were  ready,  and  a  consultation  was 
held.  It  was  arranged  that  Ready  should  put  into  the 
boat  the  bedding  and  canvas  of  one  tent,  and  should 
take  William  with  him  on  his  expedition.  Having 


MA8TERMAN  READY.  119 

transported  this  safe,  he  should  return  for  a  load  of  the 
most  necessary  articles,  and  then  the  family  should 
walk  through  the  grove  to  the  other  side  of  the  island, 
and  remain  there  with  Mr.  Seagrave,  while  Ready  and 
"William  returned  for  the  other  tent ;  and  after  that 
the  boat  should  make  as  many  trips  as  the  weather 
would  permit,  till  they  had  brought  all  the  things 
absolutely  required.  It  was  a  lovely  calm  morning 
when  Ready  and  "William  pushed  off  in  the  boat, 
which  was  well  loaded ;  and  as  soon  as  they  were  clear 
of  the  cove  they  hoisted  the  sail,  and  went  away  be- 
fore the  wind  along  the  coast.  In  two  hours  they  had 
run  to  the  eastern  end  of  the  island,  and  hauled  up 
close  in  shore ;  the  point  which  ran  out,  and  at  the  end 
of  which  there  was  an  inlet,  was  not  a  mile  from  them, 
and  in  a  very  short  time  they  had  lowered  the  sail  and 
were  pulling  in  for  the  sandy  beach. 

"  You  see,  Master  William,  it  is  fortunate  for  us  that 
we  shall  always  have  a  fair  wind  when  we  come  down 
loaded,  and  only  have  to  pull  our  empty  boat  back 
again." 

"  Indeed  it  is.  How  many  miles  do  you  think  it  is 
from  the  cove  to  this  part  of  the  island  ?" 

"  About  six  or  seven — not  more ;  the  island,  you  see,  is 
long  and  narrow.  Now  let  us  get  the  things  out  and 
carry  them  up,  and  then  we  will  be  back  to  the  cove 
long  before  dark.  I  shall  be  glad  to  be  back,  for  your 
mamma  was  not  very  easy  in  her  mind  at  your  going 
to  sea  again,  Master  William — I  saw  that." 

The  boat  was  soon  unloaded,  but  they  had  some  way 
to  carry  up  the  things.  "  We  shall  not  mind  such  a 
gale  as  we  had  the  other  day  when  our  tents  are 
pitched  here,  William,"  said  Ready,  "  for  we  shall  be 


120  MASTERMAN  READY. 

protected  by  the  whole  width  of  the  cocoanut  grove. 
We  shall  hardly  feel  the  wind,  although  we  shall  the 
rain,  for  that  will  come  down  in  torrents." 

"  I  must  go  and  see  how  our  spring  gets  on,"  said 
"William,  "  and  get  a  drink  from  it." 

"  Do  so  ;  and  then  you  can  follow  me  down  to  the 
boat." 

"Willy  reported  the  spring  to  be  up  to  the  brim  with 
water,  and  that  he  had  never  drunk  any  water  so  ex- 
cellent in  his  life.  They  then  pushed  off  the  boat,[and, 
after  rowing  for  about  two  hours  or  more,  found  them- 
selves at  the  entrance  of  the  cove,  and  Mrs.  Seagrave, 
with  Tommy  by  her  side,  waving  her  handkerchief  to 
them. 

They  very  soon  pulled  in  to  the  beach,  and  landing, 
received  the  congratulations  of  the  whole  party  at  their 
first  successful  voyage,  and  all  expressed  their  delight 
at  its  having  proved  so  much  shorter  than  had  been 
anticipated. 

"  Tommy  will  go  next  time,"  said  Master  Tommy. 

"  By  and  by,  when  Tommy  grows  a  little  taller," 
replied  Ready. 

"  Massa  Tommy,  you  come  help  me  to  milk  the 
goats,"  said  Juno. 

"  Yes,  Tommy  milk  the  goats,"  said  the  little  urchin, 
running  after  Juno. 

"  You  must  be  almost  tired  of  eating  nothing  but 
salt  meat  and  biscuit,  ma'am,"  said  Ready,  as  they  sat 
down  to  their  meal ;  "  but  when  we  are  all  safe  on 
the  other  side  of  the  island,  we  hope  to  feed  you  better. 
At  present  it  is  hard  work  and  hard  fare." 

"  As  long  as  the  children  are  well,  I  care  very  little 
about  it ;  but  I  must  say  that,  after  the  last  gale,  I  am 


MASTERMAN  READY.  121 

as  anxious  as  you  to  be  on  the  other  side  of  the  island, 
especially  after  the  account  William  has  given  me  of 
it.  It  must  be  a  paradise !  When  do  we  set  off  ?" 

"  Not  till  the  day  after  to-morrow,  ma'am,  I  should 
think ;  for  you  see  I  must  have  another  trip  for  the 
cooking  utensils  and  the  bundles  which  you  have  made 
up.  If  you  will  spare  Juno,  to  walk  through  the  wood 
with  Master  William  to-morrow,  we  will  then  have  the 
tent  ready  for  you  and  the  children.  Mr.  Seagrave 
will  remain  with  you,  ma'am." 

"  Certainly,  Ready ;  and  had  they  not  better  lead 
over  the  sheep  and  goats?  It  will  be  doing  some- 
thing." 

"  I  thank  you  for  thinking  of  it,  ma'am ;  it  will  be 
so  much  time  saved." 


MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

WILLIE'S  KINDNESS  AND  GOOD  SENSE. 

OLD  Ready  had  his  boat  loaded  and  had  made  sail 
for  the  other  side  of  the  island  long  before  the  family 
were  up ;  indeed,  before  they  were  dressed  he  had 
landed  his  whole  cargo  on  the  beach,  and  was  sitting 
down  quietly  taking  his  breakfast.  As  soon  as  he  had 
eaten  the  beef  and  biscuit  which  he  had  taken  with 
him,  he  carried  up  the  things  which  he  had  brought, 
and  commenced  arrangements  for  setting  up  the  tent, 
intending  to  await  the  arrival  of  William  and  Juno, 
that  they  might  assist  him  in  getting  up  the  spars  and 
canvas  over  it. 

About  ten  o'clock  William  made  his  appearance, 
leading  one  of  the  goats  by  a  string,  followed  by  the 
others.  Juno  came  after  with  the  sheep,  also  holding 
one  with  a  cord  ;  the  rest  had  very  quietly  joined  the 
procession.  "  Here  we  are  at  last !"  said  William, 
laughing  ;  "  we  have  had  terrible  work  in  the  woods, 
for  Nanny  would  run  on  one  side  of  a  tree  when  I 
went  on  the  other,  and  then  I  had  to  let  go  the  string. 
We  fell  in  with  the  pigs  again,  and  Juno  gave  such  a 
squall !" 

"  I  tink  'em  wild  beast,"  said  Juno.  "  Ah  !  what  a 
nice  place  !  Missus  will  like  to  live  here." 

"  Yes,  it  is  a  very  nice  place,  Juno ;  and  you'll  be 


MASTERMAN  READY.  123 

able  to  wash  here,  and  never  mind  about  saving  the 
water." 

"  I  am  thinking,"  said  William,  "  how  we  are  to  get 
the  fowls  over  here ;  they  are  not  very  wild,  but  still 
we  cannot  catch  them. 

"I'll  bring  them  with  me  to-morrow,  Master 
William." 

"  But  how  will  you  catch  them  ?" 

"  Wait  till  they  are  gone  to  roost,  and  then  you  may 
catch  them  when  you  please." 

"  And  I  suppose  the  pigeons  and  the  pigs  must  run 
wild  ?" 

"  The  best  thing  we  can  do  with  them,  sir  ;  the  pigs 
will  always  feed  themselves  among  the  cocoanut-trees, 
and  will  breed  very  fast." 

"  Then  we  shall  have  to  shoot  them,  I  suppose  ?" 

"  Well,  Master  William,  so  we  shall ;  and  the 
pigeons  also,  when  they  have  become  plentiful,  if  we 
remain  here  so  long ;  so  we  shall  have  some  game  on 
the  island.  We  shall  soon  be  well  stocked  and  live  in 
plenty.  Every  year,  if  it  please  God,  we  shall  be 
richer  ;  but  now  you  must  help  me  to  get  the  tent  up 
and  everything  in  order,  so  that  your  mamma  may  find 
everything  comfortable  on  her  arrival,  for  she  will  be 
very  tired,  I  dare  say,  walking  through  the  wood.  It 
is  a  long  way  for  her." 

"  Mamma  is  much  better  than  she  was,"  replied 
William.  "I  think  she  will  soon  be  quite  strong 
again,  especially  when  she  comes  to  live  at  this  beauti- 
ful place." 

"  We  have  a  great  deal  of  work  to  do — more  than 
we  can  get  through  before  the  rainy  season,  which  is  a 


124  MASTERMAN  HEADY. 

pity,  but  it  can't  be  helped ;  by  this  time  next  year  we 
shall  be  more  comfortable." 

"  Why,  what  have  we  to  do  besides  putting  up  the 
tents  and  shifting  over  here  ?" 

"  In  the  first  place  we  have  to  build  a  house,  and  that 
will  take  a  long  while  ;  we  must  contrive  how  we  can 
till  it's  finished.  Then  we  ought  to  make  a  little  garden, 
and  sow  the  seeds  which  your  father  brought  from 
England  with  him." 

"Oh!  that  will  be  a  nice  thing.  Where  shall  we 
make  it,  Ready  ?" 

"  I  have  looked  out  for  that ;  we  must  put  a  fence 
across  that  point  of  land,  and  dig  up  all  the  brushwood  ; 
the  mold  is  very  good." 

"Then  what  next?" 

"  Then  we  shall  want  a  storehouse  for  all  the  things 
we  have  got,  and  all  that  are  in  the  wood  and  on  the 
beach ;  we  must  leave  them  there  till  we  have  time  to 
examine  them,  and  then  consider  how  many  trips 
we  shall  have  to  make  with  the  little  boat  to  bring 
them  all  round." 

"  Yes,  that  is  very  true,  Ready.  Have  we  anything 
more  to  do  ?" 

"  Plenty ;  we  have  to  build  a  turtle-pond  and  a  fish- 
pond, and  a  bathing-place  for  Juno  to  wash  the  children 
in." 

"  Yes,  and  myself  too,"  said  Juno. 

"  Well,  I  dare  say  a  little  washing  won't  hurt  you, 
Juno,  although  you  are  a  clean  girl.  But  first,  Master 
William,  we  must  make  a  proper  well  at  the  spring,  so 
as  to  have  plenty  of  fresh  water ;  now  there's  enough 
for  a  year's  hard  work  at  least,  and  as  we  go  on  we 
shall  find  more  wants,  I  have  no  doubt." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  125 

"  Well,  let  us  once  get  mamma  and  the  children  here, 
and  we  will  work  hard." 

"  I  should  wish  very  much  to  see  it  all  done,  Master 
William,"  said  Ready.  "  I  hope  my  life  will  be  spared 
till  it  is  done,  at  all  events.  I  should  like  to  leave  you 
all  comfortable  and  able  to  get  on  without  me." 

"  But  why  do  you  say  that,  Ready  ?  You  are  an 
old  man,  but  you  are  strong  and  healthy." 

"  I  am  so  now ;  but,  Master  "William,  what  does  the 
Book  say? — 'In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death.' 
You  are  young  and  healthy,  and  promise  a  long  life  ; 
but  who  knows  but  that  you  may  be  summoned  away 
to-morrow,  and  your  father  and  mother  weeping  over 
your  body  ?  Can  I,  then,  an  old  man,  worn  out  with 
hardships,  expect  to  live  long  ?  No — no,  Master  Will- 
iam ;  it  is  folly  in  the  yeung,  but  in  an  old  man  it  is 
madness  and  wickedness.  Still,  I  should  like  to  remain 
here  as  long  as  I  can  be  useful,  and  then  I  trust  I  may 
depart  in  peace.  I  never  wish  to  leave  this  island, 
Master  William,  and  I  have  a  kind  of  feeling  that  my 
bones  will  remain  on  it.  God's  will  be  done !" 

For  some  time  after  Ready  had  finished  neither  of 
them  said  a  word,  but  continued  their  employment, 
stretching  out  the  canvas  of  the  tent,  and  fastening  it 
down  to  the  ground  with  pegs.  At  last  William  broke 
the  silence. 

"  Ready,  did  you  not  say  your  Christian  name  was 
Masterman  ?" 

"  So  it  is,  Master  William." 

"  It  is  a  very  odd  Christian  name !  You  were  called 
after  some  other  person  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  was,  Master  William ;  he  was  a  very  rich 
man." 


126  MASTERMAN  READ  T. 

"  Do  you  know,  Ready,  I  should  like  very  much  if 
you  will  one  day  tell  me  your  history — I  mean  your 
whole  life,  from  the  time  you  were  a  boy." 

"  Well,  perhaps  I  may,  Master  William ;  for  there 
are  many  parts  of  my  life  which  would  prove  a  lesson 
to  others ;  but  that  must  be  after  we  have  got  through 
our  work — not  yet  awhile." 

"  How  old  are  you  Ready  ?" 

"  I  am  turned  of  sixty-four,  Master  William ;  that  is 
a  very  old  age  for  a  seaman.  I  could  not  have  obtained 
employment  on  board  of  a  vessel  if  it  were  not  that  I 
am  well  known  to  several  captains." 

"  But  why  do  you  say  '  old  for  a  seaman  ?' ': 

"  Because  sailors  live  faster  than  other  people,  partly 
from  the  hardships  which  they  undergo,  and  partly 
from  their  own  fault  in  drinking  so  much  spirits ;  and 
then  they  are  too  often  reckless,  and  care  nothing  for 
their  health,  and  so  their  constitutions  are  broken  up 
and  destroyed  sooner  than  those  of  people  on  shore." 

"  But  you  never  drink  spirits  now  ?" 

"  No,  never,  Master  William,  but  in  my  early  days 
I  was  as  foolish  as  others.  Now,  Juno,  we  are  all  ready 
for  you,  and  you  may  bring  in  the  bedding.  We  have 
two  or  three  hours  yet,  Master  William ;  what  shall 
we  do  next  ?" 

"  Had  we  not  better  make  the  fireplace  all  ready  for 
cooking  ?  Juno  and  I  can  bring  the  stones." 

"You  are  a  thoughtful  boy — it  was  what  I  was 
going  to  propose,  if  you  had  not.  I  shall  be  here  to- 
morrow long  before  any  of  you,  and  I  will  take  care 
that  you  have  supper  ready  upon  your  arrival." 

"  I  brought  a  bottle  of  water  in  my  knapsack,"  re- 
plied William ;  "  not  so  much  for  the  water  as  because 


MASTERMAN  READY. 

I  want  to  milk  the  goats  and  take  back  the  milk  for 
baby." 

"  Then  you  proved  yourself  not  only  thoughtful  but 
kind,  Master  William.  Now  while  you  and  Juno 
fetch  the  stones,  I  will  stow  away  under  the  trees  all 
the  things  which  I  have  brought  down  in  the  boat." 

"  Shall  we  let  the  goats  and  sheep  loose,  Eeady  ?" 

"Oh,  yes — there  is  no  fear  of  their  straying;  the 
herbage  here  is  better  than  on  the  other  side,  and  there 
is  plenty  of  it.  They  will  remain  here,  you  may  de- 
pend upon  it." 

"Well,  I  will  let  Nanny  go  as  soon  as  Juno  has 
milked  her ;  but  that  will  be  the  last  thing  to  do  before 
we  go  back.  Now,  Juno,  let  us  see  how  many  stones 
we  can  carry  at  once." 

In  an  hour  the  fireplace  was  made,  Keady  had  done 
all  that  he  could,  the  goats  were  milked  and  let  loose, 
and  then  William  and  Juno  set  off  through  the  wood 
on  their  journey  back. 

Eeady  went  down  to  the  beach.  On  his  arrival 
there  he  observed  a  small  turtle ;  creeping  up  softly, 
he  got  between  it  and  the  water,  and  succeeded  in 
turning  it  over.  "  That  will  do  for  to-morrow,"  said 
he,  as  he  stepped  into  the  boat ;  and,  laying  hold  of 
the  oars,  he  pulled  out  of  the  bay  to  return  to  the  cove. 


128  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

TURTLE    SOUP. 

READY  arrived  at  the  cove,  and,  having  hauled  up 
the  boat,  proceeded  to  the  tents,  where  he  found  the 
whole  party  anxiously  listening  to  William,  who  was 
detailing  what  had  been  done.  The  arrangements  for 
the  next  day  were  made  as  soon  as  Ready  joined  them. 
They  then  separated  for  the  night,  but  Ready  and 
William  remained  until  it  was  dark,  to  catch  the  fowls 
and  tie  their  legs,  ready  for  their  being  put  in  the  boat 
the  next  morning.  At  daylight  they  all  were  sum- 
moned to  dress  themselves  as  soon  as  possible,  as 
Ready  wanted  to  take  down  the  tent  in  which  Mrs. 
Seagrave  and  the  children  had  slept ;  for,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Tommy,  who  had  been  admitted  into  the 
women's  tent,  as  they  termed  it,  the  others  had  slept 
upon  some  canvas  which  they  had  spread  out  under 
the  cocoanut-trees.  All  was  bustle  and  confusion; 
and  as  soon  as  Mrs.  Seagrave  was  dressed  the  tent  was 
taken  down,  and,  with  all  the  bedding,  put  into  the 
boat.  As  soon  as  they  had  breakfasted,  the  plates, 
knives,  and  forks,  and  some  other  necessaries,  were 
also  put  in ;  Ready  laid  the  fowls  on  the  top  of  all, 
and  set  off  by  himself  for  their  new  location. 

After  he  was  gone,  the  rest  of  the  party  prepared 
for  their  journey  through  the  cocoanut  grove.  William 


MASTERMAN  READY.  129 

led  the  way,  with  the  three  dogs  close  to  his  heels, 
Mr.  Seagrave  with  the  baby  in  his  arms,  Juno  with 
little  Caroline,  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  with  Master  Tommy 
holding  her  hand,  and,  as  he  said,  taking  care  of  his 
mamma.  They  bade  adieu  with  regret  to  the  spot 
which  had  first  received  them  after  their  dangers ; 
looked  round  once  more  at  the  cove,  and  the  fragments 
of  the  wreck  and  cargo  strewed  about  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  then  turned  into  the  wood.  Ready  arrived 
at  the  point,  and  was  again  on  shore  in  less  than  two 
hours  after  he  had  set  off.  As  soon  as  the  boat  was 
safe  in  he  did  not  wait  to  land  his  cargo,  but,  going  up 
to  the  turtle  which  he  had  turned  the  day  before,  he 
killed  it  and  cleaned  it  on  the  beach.  He  then  went 
to  where  they  had  built  up  the  fireplace  with  stones, 
made  a  fire,  filled  the  iron  saucepan  full  of  water,  and 
set  it  on  to  boil ;  he  then  cut  up  a  portion  of  the  turtle 
and  put  it  into  the  pot,  with  some  slices  of  salt  pork, 
covered  it  up,  and  left  it  to  boil ;  and  having  hung  up 
the  rest  of  the  turtle  in  the  shade,  he  went  back  to  the 
beach  to  unload  the  boat.  He  released  the  poor  fowls, 
who  were  very  stiff  from  being  so  long  tied  by  the 
legs,  but  by  degrees  they  recovered  themselves,  and 
were  very  busy  seeking  for  food. 

Ready  took  up  all  the  plates,  and  knives  and  forks, 
and  small  articles,  examined  the  saucepan,  made  up 
the  fire  again,  and  then  returned  for  the  bedding  and 
canvas  of  the  tents,  with  the  spars  which  he  had  stowed 
astern.  It  was  two  or  three  hours  before  he  had  car- 
ried everything  up,  for  it  was  a  good  distance,  and 
some  of  the  articles  were  heavy,  and  the  old  man  was 
not  sorry  when  he  had  finished  his  task,  and  could  sit 
down  to  rest  himself. 


130  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"It's  almost  time  that  they  should  have  arrived," 
thought  Ready  ;  "  they  must  have  started  nearly  four 
hours  ago ;  maybe  not  so  soon — it's  no  easy  matter  to  get 
a  convoy  of  women  and  children  under  way."  Ready 
remained  a  quarter  of  an  hour  more,  watching  the  fire, 
and  occasionally  skimming  the  top  of  the  pot,  when 
the  three  dogs  came  bounding  toward  him. 

""Well,  they  are  not  far  off  now,"  observed  old 
Ready. 

This  was  true ;  in  six  or  seven  minutes  afterward  the 
party  made  their  appearance,  very  hot  and  very 
fatigued.  It  appeared  that  poor  little  Caroline  had 
been  tired  out,  and  Juno  had  to  carry  her ;  then  Mrs. 
Seagrave  complained  of  fatigue,  and  they  had  to  rest 
a  quarter  of  an  hour;  then  Master  Tommy,  who 
refused  to  remain  with  his  mamma,  and  had  been  run- 
ning backward  and  forward  from  one  to  the  other,  had 
declared  that  he  was  tired,  and  that  some  one  must 
carry  him,  but  there  was  no  one  to  carry  him,  so  he 
began  to  cry  and  roar  until  they  stopped  for  another 
quarter  of  an  hour  till  he  was  rested ;  but  as  soon  as 
they  went  on  again,  he  again  complained  of  being 
tired,  and  William  had  very  good-naturedly  carried 
him  pickaback  for  some  time,  and  in  so  doing  he  had 
missed  the  Haze  cut  on  the  trees,  and  it  was  a  long 
while  before  he  could  find  it  again;  then  baby  be- 
came hungry,  and  he  cried,  and  little  Caroline 
was  frightened  at  being  so  long  in  the  wood,  and 
she  cried ;  and  Tommy,  because  William  could  carry 
him  no  longer,  cried  louder  than  all  the  rest;  so 
they  stopped  again,  and  all  had  a  drink  out  of  the 
bottle  of  water  which  William  had  brought  with 
them,  after  which  they  got  on  better,  and  arrived  at 


MASTERMAN  READY.  131 

last,  so  very  warm  and  exhausted  that  Mrs.  Seagrave 
went  into  the  tent  with  the  children  to  repose  a  little 
before  she  could  even  look  at  the  place  which  was  to 
be  their  future  residence. 

"  I  think,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  who  had  given  the 
baby  to  Juno,  "  that  this  little  journey  of  to-day  has 
been  a  pretty  good  proof  of  how  helpless  we  should 
have  been  without  you,  Ready." 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  are  here,  sir,"  replied  Ready ; 
"  it  is  a  weight  off  my  mind ;  now  you  will  get  on  bet- 
ter. I  think  that  after  awhile  you  may  live  very  com- 
fortably here  ;  but  still  we  have  much  to  do.  As  soon 
as  madam  has  rested  we  will  have  our  dinner  and  then 
fix  up  our  own  tent,  which  will  be  quite  enough  after 
such  a  hard  day's  work.  To-morrow  we  will  begin  in 
good  earnest." 

"  Do  you  go  back  to  the  cove  to-morrow,  Ready  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  we  want  our  stores  here ;  I  must  bring 
some  beef  and  pork,  flour  and  peas,  besides  many 
other  things  which  we  cannot  do  without ;  it  will  take 
about  three  trips  to  empty  our  storehouses ;  and  as  to 
the  other  things,  we  can  examine  them  and  bring  them 
down  at  our  leisure — they  will  remain  there  a  long 
time  without  taking  any  harm.  As  soon  as  I  have 
made  those  three  trips  in  the  boat  we  can  then  work 
here  altogether." 

"  But  I  can  do  something  in  the  meantime." 

"  Oh,  yes,  there  is  plenty  for  you  to  do." 

"  Shall  you  take  William  with  you  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  he  will  be  more  useful  here,  and  I  can  do 
without  him." 

Mr.  Seagrave  went  into  the  tent  and  found  his  wife 
much  refreshed ;  but  the  children  had  all  fallen  fast 


132  MASTERMAN  READY. 

asleep  on  the  beds.  They  waited  another  half-hour, 
and  then  woke  Tommy  and  Caroline,  that  they  might 
all  sit  down  to  dinner. 

"  Dear  me,"  exclaimed  William,  as  Ready  took  the 
cover  off  the  saucepan,  "  what  is  it  that  you  have  so 
good  there?" 

"  It's  a  treat  I  have  prepared  for  you  all,"  replied 
Ready.  "  I  know  that  you  are  tired  of  salt  meat,  so 
now  you  are  going  to  feed  like  aldermen." 

"  Why,  what  is  it,  Ready  ?"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  "  it 
smells  very  good." 

"  It  is  turtle  soup,  ma'am ;  and  I  hope  you  will  like 
it ;  for  if  you  do,  you  may  often  have  it,  now  that  you 
are  on  this  side  of  the  island." 

"  Indeed,  it  really  is  excellent ;  but  it  wants  a  little 
salt.  Have  you  any  salt,  Juno  ?" 

"  Got  a  little,  ma'am.   Very  little  left,"  replied  Juno. 

"  What  shall  we  do  when  all  our  salt  is  gone  ?"  said 
Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Juno  must  get  some  more,"  replied  Ready. 

"How  I  get  salt? — hab  none  left,"  replied  Juno, 
looking  at  Ready. 

"  There's  plenty  out  there,  Juno,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave, 
pointing  to  the  sea. 

"  I  don't  know  where,"  said  Juno,  looking  in  that 
direction. 

"What  do  you  mean,  my  dear?"  inquired  Mrs. 
Seagrave. 

"  I  only  mean,  if  we  want  salt  we  can  have  as  much 
as  we  please  by  boiling  down  salt  water  in  the  kettle, 
or  else  making  a  salt-pan  in  the  rocks,  and  obtaining  it 
by  the  sun  drying  up  the  water  and  leaving  the  salt ; 
Ready  knows  that  as  well  as  I  do.  Salt  is  always  pro- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  133 

cured  in  that  way,  either  by  evaporation  or  boiling, 
which  is  the  same  thing,  only  done  quicker." 

"  I'll  soon  arrange  that  for  you,  ma'am,"  said  Ready, 
"  and  show  Juno  how  to  get  it  when  she  wants  it." 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  you  say  so  ;  for  I  should 
feel  the  want  of  salt  very  much,"  replied  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  I  really  never  enjoyed  a  dinner  so  much  as  I 
have  to-day." 

The  soup  was  pronounced  excellent  by  everybody. 
Tommy  asked  to  be  helped  so  often  that  his  mother 
would  not  give  him  any  more.  As  soon  as  they  had 
finished  Mrs.  Seagrave  remained  with  the  children ; 
and  Ready  and  Mr.  Seagrave,  assisted  by  Juno  and 
William,  got  the  second  tent  up,  and  everything  ready 
for  the  night.  By  the  time  they  had  finished  it  was 
nearly  dark.  They  all  assembled,  and  returned  thanks 
to  God  for  their  having  gained  their  new  abode ;  and, 
tired  out  with  the  fatigue  of  the  day,  were  soon  fast 
asleep. 


134  MASTERMAN  EEADY. 


CHAPTEK  XXIII. 

MAKING   A   WELL. 

ME.  SEAGEAVE  was  the  first  up  on  the  ensuing  morn- 
ing ;  and  when  Keady  came  out  of  the  tent  he  said  to 
him :  "  Do  you  know,  Ready,  I  feel  myself  much 
happier  and  my  mind  much  more  at  ease  since  I  find 
myself  here,  than  I  did  before.  On  the  other  side  of 
the  island  everything  reminded  me  that  we  had  been 
shipwrecked ;  and  I  could  not  help  thinking  of  home 
and  my  own  country ;  but  here  we  appear  as  if  we  had 
been  long  settled,  and  as  if  we  had  come  here  by 
choice." 

"  I  trust  that  feeling  will  be  stronger  every  day,  sir ; 
for  it's  no  use,  and  indeed  sinful,  to  repine ;  we  have 
much  to  be  thankful  for." 

"  I  acknowledge  it,  my  good  man,  and  with  all 
humility.  What  is  the  first  thing  which  you  wish  we 
should  set  about  ?" 

"  I  think,  sir,  the  first  object  is  to  have  a  good  supply 
of  fresh  water ;  and  I  therefore  wish  you  and  Master 
William — (here  he  is.  Good-morning,  Master  William) 
— I  was  saying  that  I  thought  it  better  that  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  and  you  should  clear  out  the  spring  while  I  am 
away  in  the  boat.  I  brought  another  shovel  with  me 
yesterday,  and  you  both  can  work ;  perhaps  we  had 


MASTERMAN  READY.  135 

better  go  there,  as  Juno,  I  see,  is  getting  ther  breakfast 
ready.  You  observe,  Mr.  Seagrave,  we  must  follow  up 
the  spring  till  we  get  among  the  cocoanut-trees,  where 
it  will  be  shaded  from  the  sun  ;  that  is  easily  done  by 
digging  toward  them,  and  watching  how  the  water 
flows.  Then,  if  you  will  dig  out  a  hole  large  enough 
to  sink  down  in  the  earth  one  of  the  water-casks  which 
lie  on  the  beach,  I  will  bring  it  down  with  me  this 
afternoon ;  and  then  when  it  is  fixed  in  the  earth  in 
that  way,  we  shall  always  have  the  cask  full  of  water 
for  use,  and  the  spring  filling  it  as  fast  as  we  can 
empty  it." 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave  ; 
"  that  shall  be  our  task  to-day  while  you  are  absent." 

"  Well,  then,  I  have  nothing  more  to  do  than  to 
speak  to  Juno  about  dinner,"  replied  Keady ;  "  and 
then  I'll  just  take  a  mouthful  and  be  off — this  fine 
weather  must  not  be  lost." 

Keady  directed  Juno  to  fry  some  pork  in  the  frying- 
pan,  and  then  to  cut  off  some  slices  from  the  turtle, 
and  cook  turtle  steaks  for  dinner,  as  well  as  to  warm 
up  the  soup  which  was  left ;  and  then,  with  a  biscuit 
and  a  piece  of  beef  in  his  hand,  he  went  down  to  the 
boat  and  set  off  for  the  cove.  Mr.  Seagrave  and 
William  worked  hard ;  and  by  twelve  o'clock  the  hole 
was  quite  large  and  deep  enough,  according  to  the 
directions  Ready  had  given.  They  then  left  their 
work  and  went  to  the  tent,  where  they  found  Mrs. 
Seagrave  mending  the  children's  clothes. 

"  You  don't  know  how  much  happier  I  am  now  that 
I  am  here,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  taking  her  husband's 
hand  as  he  seated  himself  by  her. 

"  I  trust  it  is  a  presentiment  of  future  happiness,  my 


136  MASTERMAN  READY. 

dear,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  I  assure  you  that  I  feel 
the  same,  and  was  saying  so  to  Ready  this  very 
morning." 

"  I  feel  that  I  could  live  here  forever,  it  is  so  calm 
and  beautiful ;  but  do  you  know  I  miss  one  thing — 
there  are  no  birds  singing  here,  as  in  our  own 
country." 

"  I  have  seen  no  birds,  except  sea-birds,  and  of  them 
there  is  plenty.  Have  you,  William  ?" 

"  Only  once,  father.  I  saw  a  flight  a  long  way  off. 
Ready  was  not  with  me,  and  I  could  not  tell  what  they 
were ;  but  they  were  large  birds,  as  big  as  pigeons,  I 
should  think.  There  is  Ready,  coming  round  the 
point,"  continued  William.  "  How  fast  that  little  boat 
sails  !  It  is  a  long  pull,  though,  for  the  old  man  when 
he  goes  to  the  cove.  Juno,  is  dinner  ready  ?" 

"  Yes,  Massa  William,  very  soon  now." 

"  Let  us  go  down  and  help  Ready  to  carry  up  some 
of  the  things  before  dinner,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

They  did  so;  and  William  rolled  up  the  empty 
water-cask  which  Ready  had  brought  with  him. 

The  turtle  steaks  were  as  much  approved  of  as  the 
turtle  soup  ;  indeed,  after  having  been  so  long  on  salt 
meat,  a  return  to  fresh  provisions  was  delightful. 

"  And  now  to  finish  our  well,"  said  William,  as  soon 
as  dinner  was  over. 

"  How  hard  you  do  work,  William,"  said  his  mother. 

"  So  I  ought,  mother.  I  must  learn  to  do  everything 
now." 

"  And  that  you  will  very  soon,"  said  Ready. 

They  rolled  the  cask  to  the  spring,  and,  to  their 
astonishment,  found  the  great  hole  which  they  had  dug 
not  two  hours  before  quite  full  of  water. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  137 

"  Oh,  dear,"  said  William,  "  we  shall  have  to  throw 
all  the  water  out  to  get  the  cask  down." 

"  Think  a  little,  William,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  for 
the  spring  runs  so  fast  that  it  will  not  be  an  easy  task. 
Cannot  we  do  something  else  ?" 

"Why,  father,  the  cask  will  float,  you  know," 
replied  William. 

"  To  be  sure  it  will  as  it  is  ;  but  is  there  no  way  of 
making  it  sink  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes.  I  know — we  must  bore  some  holes  in  the 
bottom,  and  then  it  will  fill  and  sink  down  of  itself." 

"Exactly,  sir,"  replied  Ready.  "I  expected  that 
we  should  have  to  do  that,  and  have  the  big  gimlet 
with  me." 

Ready  bored  three  or  four  holes  in  the  bottom  of  the 
cask,  and  as  it  floated  the  water  ran  into  it,  and  by  de- 
grees it  gradually  sunk  down.  As  soon  as  the  top  of 
the  cask  was  level  with  the  surface  they  filled  in  all 
round  with  the  spade  and  shovel,  and  the  well  was 
completed. 

"  To-morrow,  when  the  water  is  settled,  it  will  be  as 
pure  and  clear  as  crystal,  and  remain  so,  if  not  dis- 
turbed," observed  Ready ;  "  so  we  have  done  one  good 
job  to-day.  Now  let  us  bring  up  all  the  other  things 
out  of  the  boat." 


MA8TERMAN  READY. 


OHAPTEK  XXIV. 

MAKING   A    TURTLE-POND. 

THE  next  morning,  as  soon  as  breakfast  was  over, 
Mr.  Seagrave  observed : 

"  Now  that  we  have  so  many  things  to  do,  I  think, 
Ready,  we  ought  to  lay  down  a  plan  of  operations ; 
method  is  everything  when  work  is  to  be  done ;  now 
tell  me  what  you  propose  shall  be  our  several  occupa- 
tions for  the  next  week,  for  to-morrow  is  Sunday ;  and 
although  we  have  not  yet  been  able,  since  we  have 
been  cast  on  shore,  to  honor  the  day  as  we  should,  I 
think  that  now  we  must  and  ought  to  keep  it  holy." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Ready ;  "  and  I  would  have  pro- 
posed it  if  you  had  not.  To-morrow  we  will  rest  from 
our  labor,  and  ask  God's  blessing  upon  our  endeavors 
during  the  six  days  of  the  week ;  and  now,  as  to  your 
proposition,  Mr.  Seagrave — shall  we  begin  first  with 
the  lady?" 

"  You  must  not  consider  that  you  have  ladies  with 
you  now,  Ready,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave — "  at  least  not 
fine  ladies.  My  health  and  strength  are  recovering 
fast,  and  I  mean  to  be  very  useful.  I  propose  to  assist 
Juno  in  all  the  domestic  duties,  such  as  the  cookery 
and  washing,  to  look  after  and  teach  the  children, 
mend  all  the  clothes,  and  make  all  that  is  required,  to 
the  best  of  my  ability ;  if  I  can  do  more  I  will,  and,  at 


MASTERMAN  HE  ALT.  139 

all  events,  you  shall  often  have  Juno's  services  during 
the  best  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the  day." 

"  I  think  we  may  be  satisfied  with  that,  Mr.  Seagrave," 
replied  Ready.  "!Nbw,  sir,  the  two  most  pressing 
points,  with  the  exception  of  building  the  house,  are 
to  dig  up  a  piece  of  ground,  and  plant  our  potatoes  and 
seeds,  and  to  make  a  turtle-pond,  so  as  to  catch  the 
turtles  and  put  them  in  before  the  season  is  over." 

"You  are  right,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave,  "but  which 
ought  to  be  done  first  ?" 

"  I  should  say  the  turtle-pond,  as  it  will  be  only  a 
few  days'  work  for  you,  Juno,  and  Master  William.  I 
shall  not  want  your  assistance  for  this  next  week.  I 
shall  fix  upon  some  spot,  not  far  from  here,  where  the 
trees  are  thickest  in  the  grove,  and  cut  them  down  so 
as  to  clear  out  a  space  in  which  we  will,  by  and  by, 
build  our  storerooms ;  and,  as  soon  as  the  rainy  season 
has  gone  by  we  can  remove  all  our  stores  from  the 
other  side  of  the  island.  It  will  occupy  me  the  whole 
of  the  week,  cutting  down  the  trees  and  sawing  them 
into  proper  lengths,  ready  for  building  the  house ;  and 
then  we  must  all  join  our  strength  and  get  it  up  with- 
out delay.  We  must  make  our  windows,  and  perhaps 
our  fireplace  afterward ;  but,  at  all  events,  we  will  be 
under  cover  and  have  dry  beds." 

"  Can  you  really  manage  to  get  it  up  in  time  ?  How 
soon  do  you  expect  the  rains  will  come  on  ?" 

"  In  three  or  four  weeks ;  the  season  is  not  always 
exact,  but  certainly  not  much  later.  After  next  week 
I  shall  probably  have  the  assistance  of  two  of  you,  if 
not  of  all.  Now  I  think  of  it,  I  must  return  to  the 
cove." 

"What  for 2" 


140  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Don't  you  recollect,  sir,  your  two- wheeled  carriage, 
packed  up  in  matting,  which  was  thrown  on  shore  in 
the  gale  ?  You  laughed  when  you  saw  it,  and  said  it 
would  be  of  little  use  now;  but,  Mr.  Seagrave,  the 
wheels  and  axle  will  be  very  useful,  as  we  can  make  a 
wide  path  to  the  place  when  I  cut  down  the  trees,  and 
wheel  out  the  logs  much  more  easily  than  we  can  drag 
or  carry  them." 

"  That  is  an  excellent  idea  of  yours,  Eeady.  It  will, 
indeed,  save  a  great  deal  of  labor." 

"  I  expect  that  it  will,  sir.  Master  "William  and  I 
will  go  away  early  on  Monday  morning,  and  be  back 
before  breakfast.  To-day  we  will  fix  upon  the  spots 
where  our  garden  is  to  be,  our  turtle-pond  to  be  made, 
and  the  trees  to  be  cut  down.  That  shall  be  our  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Seagrave ;  and  "William  and  Juno  may  put 
things  a  little  more  to  rights  here,  until  we  can  employ 
them." 

Mr.  Seagrave  and  Ready  then  walked  down  to  the 
beach,  and,  after  surveying  the  reefs  for  some  time, 
Ready  said :  "  You  see,  Mr.  Seagrave,  we  do  not  want 
too  much  water  for  a  turtle-pond,  as,  if  it  is  too  deep, 
there  is  a  difficulty  in  catching  them  when  we  want 
them ;  what  we  want  is  a  space  of  water  surrounded 
by  a  low  wall  of  stones,  so  that  the  animals  cannot 
escape,  for  they  cannot  climb  up,  although  they  can 
walk  on  the  shelving  sand  with  their  flippers.  Now, 
sir,  the  reef  here  is  high  out  of  the  water,  and  the  space 
within  the  reef  and  the  beach  is  deep  enough,  and  the 
rocks  on  the  beach  nearly  fill  up  that  side  and  prevent 
them  crawling  away  by  the  shore.  "We  have,  there- 
fore, little  more  to  do  than  to  fill  up  the  other  two 
sides,  and  then  our  pond  will  be  complete." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  141 

"  I  see  it  will  not  be  a  very  long  job  either,  if  we 
can  find  loose  rocks  enough,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  Almost  all  those  which  are  on  the  beach  are  loose," 
replied  Ready,  "  and  there  are  plenty  close  to  us : 
some  of  them  will  be  too  heavy  to  carry;  but  they 
can  be  brought  here  with  the  aid  of  handspikes  and 
crowbars — we  have  three  or  four  with  us.  Now,  sir, 
suppose  we  make  a  signal  for  Master  "William  and 
Juno,  and  set  them  to  work.  They  may  do  something 
before  dinner. 

Mr.  Seagrave  called,  and  waved  his  hat,  and  Juno 
and  William  came  down  to  them.  Juno  was  ordered 
to  go  back  for  two  handspikes,  while  Ready  explained 
to  William  what  was  to  be  done.  Having  stayed  with 
them  and  assisted  them  for  some  time  after  Juno  had 
returned  with  the  implements,  Mr.  Seagrave  and 
Ready  proceeded  to  the  point,  to  fix  upon  a  spot  for  a 
garden,  leaving  William  and  Juno  to  continue  their 
labor. 


142  MA3TERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  XXV. 

CASTOR-OIL  BEANS. 

MR.  SEAGRAVE  and  Keady  then  continued  their  way 
along  the  beach,  until  they  arrived  at  the  point  which 
the  latter  had  considered  as  a  convenient  place  to  make 
the  garden.  They  found  a  sufficiency  of  mold,  although 
not  very  deep ;  and  as  the  point  was  narrow  at  its 
joining  on  to  the  mainland,  no  great  length  of  inclosure 
would  be  required. 

"  You  see,  sir,"  said  Ready,  "  we  can  wait  till  after 
the  rainy  season  is  over  before  we  put  up  the  fence, 
and  we  can  prepare  it  in  the  meantime,  when  the 
weather  will  permit  us  to  work.  The  seeds  and 
potatoes  will  not  come  up  until  after  the  rains  are 
finished ;  so  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  dig  up  the  ground, 
and  put  them  in  as  fast  as  we  can.  We  must  clear 
away  this  brushwood,  which  will  not  be  difficult  where 
the  soil  is  so  light,  and  sow  a  portion  of  our  seeds,  for 
we  cannot  make  a  large  garden  this  year ;  but  our 
potatoes  we  must  contrive  to  get  in,  if  we  cannot 
manage  anything  else." 

"  If  we  have  no  fence  to  make,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  "  I  think  we  shall  be  able  to  clear  away  quite 
enough  ground  in  a  week  to  put  in  all  that  we 
require." 

"  The  first  job  will  be  to  pull  up  the  small  brush- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  143 

wood,"  said  Keady,  "  and  turn  up  the  ground :  the 
larger  plants  we  must  leave,  if  we  have  not  time. 
Master  Tommy  might  be  of  some  use  here  in  taking 
away  the  shrubs  as  you  pull  them  up ;  but  we  had 
better  now  go  on  to  the  grove,  and  choose  the  spot  for 
cutting  down  the  trees.  I  have  made  my  mark. 
There  it  is,  about  fifty  yards  on  the  side  of  the  tent. 
We  must  walk  on  about  a  hundred  yards  straight  into 
the  grove." 

Eeady  and  Mr.  Seagrave  proceeded  in  the  direction 
which  the  former  had  pointed  out,  until  they  arrived 
at  a  spot  on  a  rising  ground,  where  the  trees  were  so 
thick  that  it  was  not  very  easy  to  pass  through  them. 

"  There  is  the  place,  sir,"  said  Keady.  "  I  propose 
to  cut  all  the  timber  we  want  for  the  houses  out  of 
this  part  of  the  grove,  and  to  leave  an  open  square 
place,  in  the  center  of  which  we  will  build  our  store- 
rooms. You  see,  sir,  if  necessary — although,  certainly, 
there  is  no  appearance  of  its  being  likely  at  present — 
with  a  very  little  trouble  we  might  turn  it  into  a  place 
of  protection  and  defense,  as  a  few  palisades  here  and 
there  between  the  trees  would  make  it,  what  they  call 
in  the  East  Indies,  a  stockade." 

"  Yery  true,  my  good  fellow ;  but  I  trust  we  shall 
not  require  it  for  such  a  purpose." 

"  I  hope  so,  too,  sir  ;  but  there  is  nothing  like  being 
prepared :  however,  we  have  plenty  to  do  before  we 
can  think  of  doing  that.  Now,  sir,  as  dinner  is  ready, 
suppose  we  return,  and  after  dinner  we  will  both  com- 
mence our  tasks.  I  like  a  beginning,  if  it  be  ever  so 
small." 

Juno  and  "William  returned  to  the  dinner  which  Mrs. 
Seagrave  had  prepared.  They  were  both  very  warm 


144  MA3TERMAN  READY. 

with  their  work,  which  was  very  hard,  but  very  eager  to 
finish  their  task.  Master  Tommy  had  been  very 
troublesome  during  the  whole  of  the  morning :  he  had 
not  learned  his  lesson,  and  had  put  a  cinder  into 
Caroline's  hand  and  burned  her.  He  was,  therefore, 
as  soon  as  his  father  was  told  of  his  bad  behavior,  con- 
demned to  go  without  his  dinner ;  and  he  sat  down 
very  sulky,  looking  very  wistfully  at  the  victuals  as 
they  disappeared ;  but  he  did  not  cry  or  as  to  be  for- 
given. After  dinner  was  over  Mrs.  Seagrave  re- 
quested her  husband,  as  he  was  about  to  go  down  to 
the  point,  with  the  spade  and  a  small  hatchet  in  his 
hand,  to  take  Tommy  with  him,  as  she  had  a  great 
deal  to  do,  and  could  not  watch  him  ask  well  as  the 
baby  and  Caroline.  So  Mr.  Seagrave  took  Master 
Tommy  by  the  hand,  and  led  him  to  the  point,  and 
made  him  sit  down  close  to  him  while  he  cleared  away 
the  brushwood. 

Mr.  Seagrave  worked  very  hard,  and  when  he  had 
cut  down  and  cleared  a  portion  of  the  ground,  he  made 
Tommy  carry  away  to  a  little  distance,  and  pile  in  a 
heap,  the  bushes  which  he  had  cleared  away.  This 
Tommy  did  very  unwillingly,  as  he  was  in  a  bad 
humor.  "When  Mr.  Seagrave  had  cleared  away  a  large 
piece  of  ground  with  his  hatchet,  he  then  took  his 
spade  to  dig  at  the  roots  and  turn  up  the  mold,  leaving 
Tommy  to  amuse  himself.  What  Tommy  did  for 
about  an  hour,  during  which  Mr.  Seagrave  worked 
very  diligently,  his  father  did  not  observe ;  but  all  of 
a  sudden  he  began  to  cry  ;  and  when  his  father  asked 
him  the  reason,  he  did  not  answer,  but  only  cried  the 
more,  until  at  last  he  put  his  hands  to  his  stomach, 
and  roared  most  lustily.  As  he  appeared  to  be  in  very 


MASTERMAN  READY.  145 

great  pain,  his  father  left  off  work,  and  led  him  up  to 
the  tent,  when  Mrs.  Seagrave  came  out,  alarmed  at  his 
cries.  He  would,  however,  do  nothing  but  roar, 
refusing  to  answer  any  questions,  and  his  father  and 
mother  could  not  imagine  what  was  the  matter  with 
him.  Old  Keady,  who  had  heard  Master  Tommy 
screaming  for  so  long  a  while,  thought  that  there  might 
be  something  serious,  and  left  his  work  to  ascertain 
the  cause.  When  he  heard  what  had  passed  he  said  : 

"  Depend  upon  it,  sir,  the  child  has  eaten  something 
which  has  made  him  ill.  Tell  me,  Tommy,  what  did 
you  eat  when  you  were  down  there  ?" 

"  Berries,"  roared  Tommy. 

"  I  thought  as  much,  ma'am,"  said  Ready.  "  I  must 
go  and  see  what  the  berries  were."  And  the  old  man 
hastened  down  to  the  place  where  Mr.  Seagrave  had 
been  at  work.  In  the  meantime  Mrs.  Seagrave  was 
very  much  alarmed  lest  the  child  should  have  poisoned 
himself,  and  Mr.  Seagrave  went  to  search  among  the 
medicines  for  some  castor  oil. 

Ready  returned  just  as  Mr.  Seagrave  came  back  to 
the  tent  with  the  bottle  of  castor  oil,  and  he  told  Ready 
that  he  was  about  to  give  Tommy  a  dose. 

"  "Well,  sir,"  replied  Ready,  who  had  a  plant  in  his 
hand,  "  I  don't  think  you  should  give  him  any,  for  it 
appears  to  me  that  he  has  taken  too  much  already. 
See,  sir,  this  is,  if  I  recollect  right — and  I'm  almost 
sure  that  I  am  right — the  castor-oil  plant,  and  here 
are  some  of  the  castor-oil  beans,  which  Master  Tom- 
my has  been  eating.  Tell  me,  Tommy,  did  you  eat 
them?" 

"Yes,"  cried  Tommy,  putting  both  hands  to  his 
stomach. 


146  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  I  thought  so :  give  him  a  little  warm  drink, 
ma'am,  and  he'll  soon  be  better :  there's  no  great  harm 
done ;  and  it  will  teach  him  not  to  eat  berries  or  beans 
again." 

What  Eeady  said  was  true;  nevertheless,  Master 
Tommy  was  very  ill  for  the  whole  of  the  day,  and  was 
put  into  bed  very  early. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  147 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

TOMMY    AND     THE    GOAT. 

THE  next  day,  when  Mr.  Seagrave,  "William,  Juno, 
and  Ready  were  all  at  work  at  their  allotted  tasks, 
Mrs.  Seagrave  was  sitting  down  at  the  front  of  the 
tent,  the  little  baby,  Albert,  crawling  close  to  her, 
Caroline  trying  to  work  with  her  needle,  and  Master 
Tommy  was  making  holes  in  the  ground,  and  putting 
a  small  stone  into  each  hole. 

"What  are  you  doing,  Tommy?"  said  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave. 

"  I'm  playing — I'm  making  a  garden,"  replied 
Tommy. 

"  Making  a  garden  !  then  you  ought  to  plant  some 
trees  in  it." 

"  No ;  I'm  sowing  seeds :  look  here,"  replied  Tommy, 
pointing  to  the  stones. 

"  Stones  won't  grow,  mamma,"  said  little  Caroline. 

"  No,  my  dear,  they  will  not ;  but  the  seeds  of  plants 
and  flowers  will." 

"  I  know  that,"  said  Tommy ;  "  but  I'm  making 
believe,  because  I  have  no  seeds." 

"  But  you  said  you  were  sowing  seeds,  Tommy,  and 
not  stones." 

"  Well,  but  I  pretend,  and  that's  the  same  thing," 
replied  Tommy. 


148  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"Not  exactly,  Tommy;  suppose  now,  instead  of 
eating  those  beans  yesterday,  you  had  only  pretended 
to  eat  them,  wouldn't  it  have  been  better  ?" 

"  I  won't  eat  any  more,"  replied  Tommy. 

"  No,  not  of  those  beans ;  but  if  you  saw  anything 
else  which  you  thought  you  would  like,  I  am  afraid 
you  would  eat  it,  and  be  as  ill  and  even  worse  than 
you  were.  You  should  never  eat  anything  that  is .  not 
given  to  you." 

"  I  like  cocoanuts ;  why  don't  we  have  some  to  eat  ? 
there's  plenty  there  upon  the  trees." 

"But  who  is  to  climb  up  so  high,  Tommy?  can 
you  ?" 

"  No ;  but  why  don't  Ready  climb,  or  papa,  or 
"William  ?  "Why  don't  you  make  Juno  climb  ?  I  like 
cocoanuts." 

"  I  suppose  they  will  get  some  by  and  by,  when  they 
are  not  so  busy,  but  they  have  no  time  now.  Don't  you 
see  how  hard  they  all  work." 

"  I  like  turtle-soup,"  replied  Tommy. 

"  "William  and  Juno  are  making  a  pond  to  put  turtles 
in,  and  then  we  shall  have  it  of tener ;  but  we  cannot 
have  everything  we  like  when  we  wish  for  it." 

"  "What's  a  turtle,  mamma  ?"  said  little  Caroline. 

"  It's  a  sort  of  animal  that  lives  in  the  water,  but  it 
is  not  a  fish." 

"  I  like  fried  fish,"  said  Tommy ;  "  why  don't  we 
have  fried  fish  ?" 

"  Because  every  one  is  too  busy  to  catch  them  just 
now.  By  and  by  you  will  have  some,  I  have  no  doubt. 
Tommy,  dear,  go  and  bring  your  brother  Albert  back  ; 
he  has  crawled  too  near  to  Billy  the  goat,  and  he  butts 
sometimes." 


MASTERMAN  READY,  149 

Tommy  went  after  the  baby,  who  was  crawling 
toward  the  kid,  which  had  now  grown  pretty  large, 
and  as  he  took  up  his  brother  he  kicked  at  the  goat's 
head. 

"  Don't  do  that,  Tommy ;  he'll  butt  at  you,  and  hurt 
you." 

"I  don't  care,"  replied  Tommy,  holding  the  baby 
by  one  hand  while  he  continued  to  kick  at  Billy. 
Billy,  however,  would  not  stand  it  any  longer;  he 
lowered  his  head,  made  a  bound  at  Tommy,  struck  him 
in  the  chest,  and  Tommy  and  little  Albert  rolled  on 
the  ground  one  over  the  other.  The  baby  roared,  and 
Master  Tommy  began  to  whimper.  Mrs.  Seagrave 
ran  up  to  them  and  caught  up  the  baby ;  and  Master 
Tommy,  a  little  alarmed,  caught  hold  of  his  mother's 
dress  for  protection,  looking  behind  him  at  Billy,  who 
appeared  very  much  inclined  to  renew  the  attack. 

"  Why  don't  you  mind  what  is  said  to  you,  Tommy  ? 
I  told  you  that  he  would  butt  you,"  said  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave,  pacifying  the  child. 

"  I  don't  care  for  him,"  replied  Tommy,  who  per- 
ceived that  the  goat  was  walking  away. 

"  No  ;  you  are  very  brave  now  that  he  is  gone  :  but 
you  are  a  very  naughty  boy  not  to  mind  what  is  said 
to  you.  Kecollect  the  lion  at  the  Cape  ?" 

"  I  don't  care  for  a  lion,"  replied  Tommy. 

"  No,  now  that  there  is  none  to  be  seen  ;  but  you 
would  be  very  much  frightened  if  you  saw  one  close  to 
you." 

"  I  threw  stones  at  him,"  said  Tommy. 

"  Yes,  you  did  ;  and  if  you  had  not,  the  lion  would 
not  have  frightened  you  as  he  did,  any  more  than 


150  MASTERMAN  READY. 

Billy  would  have  knocked  you  down  just  now,"  replied 
Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Billy  never  butts  at  me,  mamma,"  said  Caroline. 

"  No,  my  dear,  because  you  do  not  tease  him  ;  but 
your  brother  Tommy  is  very  fond  of  teasing  animals, 
and  so  he  gets  punished  and  frightened.  It  is  very 
wrong  of  him  to  do  so,  especially  as  he  is  told  by  his 
father  and  me  that  he  ought  not.  Good  children 
always  obey  their  parents,  but  Tommy  is  not  a  good 
boy." 

"  You  said  I  was  a  good  boy  when  I  learned  my 
lesson  well  this  morning,"  replied  Tommy. 

"  Yes,  but  you  should  always  be  good,"  replied  his 
mother. 

"  I  can't  be  always  good,"  said  Tommy ;  "  I'm  very 
hungry,  I  want  my  dinner." 

"  It  is  dinner-time,  Tommy,  that  is  certain,  but  you 
must  wait  until  they  all  come  home  from  their  work." 

"  There's  Ready  coming  with  a  bag  on  his  shoulder," 
replied  Tommy. 

Ready  soon  came  up  to  where  Mrs.  Seagrave  was 
sitting,  and  laid  down  the  bag.  "  I've  brought  you 
some  young  cocoanuts,  and  some  old  ones  also,  from 
the  trees  that  I  have  been  cutting  down." 

"  Oh !  cocoanuts — I  like  cocoanuts  !"  cried  Tommy. 

"  I  told  you,  Tommy,  that  we  should  have  some  by 
and  by,  and  they  have  come  sooner  than  we  thought. 
You  are  very  warm,  Ready." 

"  Yes,  ma'am,"  replied  Ready,  wiping  his  face ;  "  it 
is  rather  warm  work,  for  there  is  no  breeze  in  the 
grove  to  cool  one.  Is  there  anything  you  want  from 
the  other  side  of  the  island,  for  I  shall  go  there  directly 
after  dinner  ?" 


MASTERMAN  READY.  151 

"What  for?" 

"  I  must  bring  the  wheels  to  get  the  timber  out ;  for 
I  must  clear  it  away  as  I  go,  until  the  path  is  finished. 
I  must  have  Master  William  to  help  me." 

"  William  will  like  the  trip,  I  do  not  doubt :  he  must 
be  tired  of  carrying  and  rolling  heavy  stones.  I  do  not 
recollect  anything  in  particular  that  we  want,  Keady," 
replied  Mrs.  Seagrave.  "  There  he  comes  with  Juno, 
and  I  see  Mr.  Seagrave  has  laid  down  his  spade ;  so 
Caroline,  dear,  take  care  of  Albert,  while  I  get  the 
dinner  for  them." 

Ready  assisted  Mrs.  Seagrave,  and  the  dinner  was 
spread  out  on  the  ground,  for  they  had  not  brought 
the  chairs  and  tables  with  them  to  their  new  residence, 
as  they  thought  that  they  could  do  without  them  till 
the  house  was  built.  William  reported  that  Juno  and 
he  would  have  the  turtle-pond  complete  by  the  next 
day.  Mr.  Seagrave  had  cleared  sufficient  ground  to 
plant  the  half -sack  of  potatoes  that  they  had  saved 
from  the  wreck,  so  that  in  a  day  or  two  they  would  be 
able  to  put  all  their  strength  upon  the  cutting  and 
drawing  of  the  timber. 

After  dinner  William  and  Ready  set  off  in  the  boat, 
and  before  it  was  dark  returned  with  the  wheels  and 
axle  of  the  carriage,  and  several  other  articles  to  make 
up  their  load  ;  they  also  had  some  thick  timber  in  tow, 
which  Ready  said  would  be  required  for  the  door-posts 
of  the  house.  Mr.  Seagrave  had  left  his  work  that 
afternoon,  and  gone  to  the  assistance  of  Juno,  and 
reported  that  the  turtle-pond,  although  not  quite 
finished,  was  so  far  made  that  the  turtles  could  not  get 
out  if  they  were  put  in. 


152  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  XXYII. 

TURNING   TURTLES    BY    MOONLIGHT. 

"  Now,  Master  William,"  said  Heady,  "  if  you  are 
not  very  sleepy,  perhaps  you  would  like  to  coine  with 
me  to-night,  and  see  if  we  cannot  turn  some  of  the 
turtles ;  for  the  season  is  going  away  fast,  and  they  will 
leave  the  island  very  soon." 

"  Yes,  I  should  like  it  very  much." 

"  Well,  then,  we  must  wait  till  it  is  dark :  there  will 
not  be  much  moon  to-night,  and  that  is  all  the  better." 

As  soon  as  the  sun  had  disappeared  William  and 
Keady  went  down  to  the  beach,  and  sat  quietly  on  a 
rock.  In  a  short  time  Ready  perceived  a  turtle  crawl- 
ing on  the  sand,  and,  desiring  William  to  follow  him 
without  speaking,  walked  softly  down  by  the  water's 
edge,  so  as  to  get  between  the  animal  and  the  sea. 

As  soon  as  the  turtle  perceived  them  it  made  for 
the  water,  but  they  met  it ;  and  Ready,  seizing  hold  of 
one  of  its  foreflippers,  turned  it  over  on  its  back. 

"  You  see,  Master  William,  that  is  the  way  to  turn  a 
turtle :  take  care  that  he  does  not  catch  you  with  his 
mouth,  for,  if  he  did,  he  would  bite  the  piece  out : 
recollect  that.  Now  the  animal  cannot  get  away,  for 
he  can't  turn  over  again,  and  we  shall  find  him  here  to- 
morrow morning:  so  we  will  now  walk  along  the 
beach,  and  see  if  we  cannot  find  some  more." 


MA8TERMAN  READY.  153 

Keady  and  William  remained  till  past  midnight, 
during  which  they  turned  sixteen  turtles,  large  and 
small. 

"  I  think  that  will  do,  Master  "William,  for  once ;  we 
have  made  a  good  night's  work  of  it,  for  we  have  pro- 
vided food  for  many  days.  "We  must,  however,  try 
again  in  three  or  four  days  if  we  cannot  add  to  our 
stock.  To-morrow  we  must  put  them  all  into  the  pond." 

"  How  shall  we  carry  such  large  animals  ?" 

"  We  need  not  carry  them ;  we  must  put  some  old 
canvas  under  them,  and  haul  them  along  by  that 
means ;  we  can  easily  do  that  on  the  smooth  sand." 

"  Why  don't  we  catch  some  fish,  Keady  ?  We  might 
put  them  into  the  turtle-pond." 

"  They  would  not  stay  there  long,  Master  William, 
nor  could  we  easily  get  them  out  if  they  did.  We  must 
make  a  pond  on  purpose  for  fish  by  and  by ;  we  have 
had  no  time,  for  other  things  have  pressed  upon  us  of 
more  consequence.  I  have  often  thought  of  getting 
some  lines  ready,  and  yet  the  time  has  never  come,  for 
I  feel  sleepy  after  our  day's  work ;  but  as  soon  as  the 
house  is  built  we  will  have  them,  and  you  shall  be 
fisherman-in-chief,  after  I  have  once  shown  you  how." 

"  But  the  fish  will  bite  at  night,  will  they  not?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  and  better  than  they  do  in  the  daytime." 

"  Well,  then,  if  you  will  get  me  a  line  and  show  me 
how,  I  will  fish  for  an  hour  or  so  after  the  work  is 
done ;  for  Tommy  is  always  asking  for  fried  fish,  and 
I  know  mamma  is  getting  very  tired  of  salt  meat,  and 
does  not  think  it  good  for  Caroline.  She  was  very 
glad  when  you  brought  the  cocoanuts  the  day  before 
yesterday." 

"  Well,  then,  I  will  get  a  bit  of  candle  to-morrow 


154  MASTEEMAN  READY. 

night,  and  fit  up  two  fishing-lines.  But  I  must  go 
with  you,  Master  "William.  We  don't  use  much  candle, 
at  all  events." 

"  No,  we  are  too  glad  to  go  to  bed ;  but  there  are 
two  or  three  boxes  of  one  sort  or  another  up  in  the 
cove.  "What  shall  we  do  when  they  are  all  gone  ?" 

"  We  shall  have  to  use  the  cocoanut-oil,  and  we  shall 
never  want  for  that.  Good-night,  Master  William." 

The  next  morning  before  breakfast  all  hands  were 
employed  in  getting  the  turtle  into  the  pond.  After 
breakfast  William  and  Juno  finished  the  pond  where 
the  walls  had  not  been  raised  high  enough,  and,  when 
they  returned  to  dinner,  reported  that  their  task  was 
completed.  Mr.  Seagrave  also  said  that  he  had,  he 
thought,  cleared  quite  ground  enough  for  the  present ; 
and  as  Mrs.  Seagrave  wanted  Juno  to  help  her  to  wash 
the  linen  that  afternoon,  it  was  agreed  that  William, 
Ready  and  Mr.  Seagrave  should  all  go  down  to  the 
garden  and  put  in  the  potatoes. 

Ready  worked  with  the  spade,  while  Mr.  Seagrave 
and  William  cut  the  potatoes  in  pieces,  so  as  to  have 
an  eye  in  each  piece ;  and  while  they  were  thus  occu- 
pied William  said  to  his  father,  in  the  course  of  their 
conversation : 

"  Father,  you  promised  me,  the  day  after  we  left  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  that  you  would  explain  to  me 
why  it  was  so  called,  and  also  the  nature  of  a  colony. 
Will  you  do  so  now  ?" 

"  I  will,  my  dear  boy ;  but  you  must  listen  to  me 
attentively ;  and  if  you  do  not  understand  what  I  say, 
recollect  you  tell  me  so,  and  I  will  try  to  explain  it  to 
you.  You  have  been  told  that  we  English  are  now 
the  masters  of  the  sea,  but  such  has  not  always  been 


MASTERMAN  READY.  155 

the  case.  The  earliest  navigators  of  modern  times 
were  the  Spanish  and  Portuguese.  The  Spaniards  dis- 
covered South  America,  and  the  Portuguese  the  East 
Indies.  At  that  time,  now  more  than  three  hundred 
years  ago,  England  was  not  the  powerful  nation  which 
she  now  is,  and  had  comparatively  few  ships ;  neither 
could  the  English,  in  enterprise,  be  compared  to  the 
Spanish  and  Portuguese  nations.  The  Portuguese, 
in  attempting  a  passage  to  the  East  Indies,  arrived  at 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  but  at  that  period  ships  were 
very  small  compared  to  what  they  are  now ;  and  it 
blew  so  hard  about  this  cape  that  they  could  not  sail 
round  it,  and  they  at  first  called  it  Cabo  Tormentoso, 
or  the  Stormy  Cape.  At  last  they  succeeded  in  the 
attempts,  and  then  it  was  called  the  Cabo  da  Buona 
Speranza,  or  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  They  arrived  safe 
at  India,  and,  taking  possession  of  many  parts,  carried 
on  a  trade  which  was  a  source  of  great  wealth  to  their 
country.  You  understand  me  ?" 

"  Yes,  papa." 

"  My  dear  boy,  you  know  very  well  that  a  man  is 
born,  arrives  at  manhood  and  strength,  grows  old, 
decays,  and  dies.  As  it  is  with  man,  so  it  is  with 
nations.  The  Portuguese  were  then  in  their  manhood 
as  a  nation  ;  but  other  nations  rose  up  in  strength ;  and 
among  others  the  Dutch,  who  were  the  first  to  dis- 
pute with  the  Portuguese  the  commerce  of  the  Indies : 
gradually  they  wrested  their  colonies  from  them,  and 
carried  on  the  trade  in  their  stead.  Then  the  English 
forced  their  way  there,  seized  upon  the  colonies  of 
both  Dutch  and  Portuguese,  and  have  ever  since  held 
possession.  Portugal,  that  was  once  the  most  enter- 
prising nation  in  the  world,  is  now  a  mere  cipher ;  the 


156  MASTERMAN  HEADY. 

Dutch  have  gradually  decreased  in  their  importance ; 
while  the  sun  is  said,  and  very  truly,  never  to  set  upon 
the  English  possessions  ;  for,  as  the  world  turns  round 
to  it,  the  sun  shines  either  upon  one  portion  or  another 
of  the  globe  which  is  a  colony  to  our  country." 

"  Yes,  I  understand  perfectly,  papa ;  but  now  tell 
me,  why  are  England  and  other  nations  so  anxious  to 
have  what  you  call  colonies  ?"  replied  "William. 

"  Because  they  tend  so  much  to  the  prosperity  of 
the  mother-country.  In  their  infancy  they  generally 
are  an  expense  to  her,  as  they  require  her  care ;  but  as 
they  advance  they  are  able  to  repay  her  by  taking  her 
manufactures,  and  returning  for  them  their  own  pro- 
duce ;  an  exchange  mutually  advantageous,  but  more 
so  to  the  mother-country  than  to  the  colony,  as  the 
mother-country,  assuming  to  herself  the  right  of  sup- 
plying all  the  wants  of  the  colony,  has  a  market  for 
the  labor  of  her  own  people,  without  any  competition. 
And  here,  my  boy,  you  may  observe  what  a  parallel 
there  is  between  a  colony  and  the  mother-country  and 
a  child  and  its  parent.  In  infancy  the  mother-country 
assists  and  supports  the  colony  as  an  infant ;  as  it  ad- 
vances and  becomes  vigorous,  the  colony  returns  the 
obligation ;  but  the  parallel  does  not  end  there.  As 
soon  as  the  colony  has  grown  strong  and  powerful 
enough  to  take  care  of  itself,  it  throws  off  the  yoke  of 
subjection,  and  declares  itself  independent,  just  as  a 
son  who  has  grown  up  to  manhood  leaves  his  father's 
house  and  takes  up  a  business  to  gain  his  own  liveli- 
hood. This  is  as  certain  to  be  the  case  as  it  is  that  a 
bird  as  soon  as  it  can  fly  will  leave  its  parent's  nest. 
We  have  had  a  great  example  of  it  in  the  United 
States,  which,  fifty  years  ago,  were  colonies  to  Great 


MASTERMAN  READY.  15? 

Britain,  but  are  now  fast  becoming  one  of  the  most 
powerful  of  nations." 

"  But  is  it  not  very  ungrateful  of  a  colony  to  leave 
the  mother-country,  which  has  protected  it  so  long,  as 
soon  as  it  longer  requires  its  assistance  ?" 

"  It  may  at  first  appear  to  be  so  ;  but,  on  reflection, 
we  must  decide  otherwise:  the  mother-country  has 
been  more  than  repaid  for  what  it  has  done  for  the 
colony  long  before  the  colony  is  able  to  throw  off  its 
dependence ;  and,  after  a  certain  time,  the  rights 
assumed  by  the  mother-country  become  too  onerous  to 
bear:  you  must  not  treat  a  grown-up  man  as  you 
would  a  child." 

"  Now,  father,  answer  me  another  question.  You 
said  that  nations  rise  and  fall;  and  you  have  men- 
tioned the  Portuguese  as  a  proof.  Will  England  ever 
fall,  and  be  of  no  more  importance  than  Portugal  is 
now  ?" 

"  We  can  only  decide  that  question  by  looking  into 
history ;  and  history  tells  us  that  such  is  the  fate  of 
all  nations.  We  must,  therefore,  expect  that  it  will 
one  day  be  the  fate  of  our  dear  country.  At  present 
we  see  no  appearance  of  it,  any  more  than  we  perceive 
the  latent  seeds  of  death  in  our  own  bodies ;  but  still 
the  time  arrives  when  man  must  die,  and  so  it  must  be 
with  nations.  Did  the  Portuguese,  in  the  height  of 
their  prosperity,  ever  think  that  they  would  be 
reduced  to  what  they  are  now  ?  Would  they  have 
believed  it  ?  Yes,  my  dear  boy,  the  English  nation 
must  in  time  meet  with  the  fate  of  all  others.  There 
are  various  causes  which  may  hasten  or  protract  the 
period  ;  but,  sooner  or  later,  England  will  no  more  be 


158  MASTERMAN  READY. 

mistress  of  the  seas,  or  boast  of  her  possessions  all  over 
the  world." 

"  I  hope  it  will  be  a  long  while  first." 
"  And  so  does  every  Englishman  who  loves  his 
country.  Recollect  that  when  the  Koman  Empire  was 
in  the  height  of  its  power,  Great  Britain  was  peopled 
by  mere  barbarians  and  savages.  Now  Rome  has  dis- 
appeared, and  is  only  known  in  history,  and  by  the 
relics  of  its  former  greatness,  while  England  ranks 
among  the  highest  of  nations.  How  is  the  major  por- 
tion of  the  continent  of  Africa  peopled  ?  by  barbarians 
and  savages ;  and  who  knows  what  they  may  become 
some  future  day  ?" 

"  What !  the  negroes  become  a  great  nation  ?" 
"  That  is  exactly  what  the  Romans  might  have  said 
in  former  days :  What !  the  British  barbarians  become 
a  great  nation  ?  and  yet  they  have  become  so." 
"  But  the  negroes,  father — they  are  bla.cks." 
"  Very  true ;  but  that  is  no  reason  to  the  contrary. 
As  to  darkness  of  the  skin,  the  majority  of  the  Moors 
are  quite  as  black  as  the  negroes ;  yet  they  were  once 
a  great  nation,  and,  moreover,  the  most  enlightened 
nation  of  their  time,  with  a  great  many  excellent  qual- 
ities— full  of  honor,  generosity,  politeness,  and  chivalry. 
They  conquered  and  held  the  major  part  of  Spain  for 
many  hundred  years ;  introduced  arts  and  sciences  then 
unknown,  and  were  as  brave  and  heroic  as  they  were 
virtuous  and  honorable.  You  have  never  read  the 
history  of  the  Moors  in  Spain  ?" 

"  No,  father ;  I  should  like  to  read  it  very  much." 
"And  you  will  like  it  much  more  when  you  have 
read  it :  it  is  a  history  full  of  adventures  and  incidents, 
probably  the  most  amusing  that  were  ever  collected 


MASTERMAN  READY.  159 

together.  I  have  it  in  the  library  which  I  made  in 
the  expectation  of  arriving  at  Sydney ;  but  whether  it 
is  among  the  books  which  have  been  saved  I  cannot 
tell ;  by  and  by  we  shall  have  more  time  to  look  after 
them." 

"  There  were  two  cases  of  books  thrown  ashore,  I 
think,  father." 

"  Yes,  two  or  three ;  but  if  I  recollect  right,  I  had 
fifteen  or  sixteen  altogether.  .Now  that  we  have  fin- 
ished cutting  the  potatoes,  let  us  go  and  assist  Eeady 
in  planting  them  and  the  seeds  which  we  have  brought 
down  with  us." 


160  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

WILLIAM    FISHES   BY   MOONLIGHT. 

THAT  night  Ready  sat  up  for  two  or  three  hours 
working  by  candlelight  (William  keeping  him  com- 
pany), very  busily  engaged  fitting  up  the  fishing-lines 
with  leads  and  hooks.  At  last  two  were  complete. 

"  What  bait  must  we  use,  Ready  ?" 

"  I  should  think  that  the  best  would  be  one  of  the 
fish  out  of  the  shells  which  are  in  the  sand ;  but  a  piece 
of  pork  fat  will,  I  dare  say,  do  as  well." 

"  But  whereabouts  would  you  fish,  Ready  ?" 

"  The  best  place,  I  should  think,  would  be  at  the 
furthermost  end  of  the  point,  where  I  got  the  boat 
through  the  reef — the  water  is  deep  there  close  to  the 
rocks." 

"  I  was  thinking,  Ready,  if  those  gannets  and  men- 
of-war  birds  would  be  good  eating." 

"  Not  very,  Master  William ;  they  are  very  tough 
and  very  fishy ;  we  must  try  for  those  when  we  can 
get  nothing  better.  Now  that  we  have  got  in  the  seeds 
and  potatoes  we  must  all  set  to  to-morrow  morning  to 
fell  and  carry  the  timber.  I  think  Mr.  Seagrave  had 
better  use  the  ax  with  me ;  and  you  and  Juno  can, 
when  I  have  shown  you  how,  hang  the  timber  to  the 
axle,  and  wheel  it  out  to  the  place  where  we  have  de- 
cided upon  building  the  house.  And  now  we  had 
better  go  to  bed." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  Id 

William,  however,  had  made  up  his  mind  to  do  other- 
wise ;  he  knew  that  his  mother  would  be  very  glad  to 
have  some  fish,  and  he  determined,  as  the  moon  shone 
bright,  to  try  if  he  could  not  catch  some  before  he 
went  to  bed ;  so  he  waited  very  quietly  till  he  thought 
Ready  was  asleep,  as  well  as  the  others,  and  then  went 
out  with  the  lines,  and  went  down  to  the  beach,  where 
he  picked  up  three  or  four  shells,  and,  breaking  them 
between  two  pieces  of  rock,  took  out  the  fish  and 
baited  his  hooks.  He  then  walked  to  the  point.  It 
was  a  beautiful  night ;  the  water  was  very  smooth,  and 
the  moonbeams  pierced  deep  below  the  surface.  Will- 
iam threw  in  his  line,  and  as  soon  as  the  lead  touched 
the  bottom  he  pulled  it  up  about  a  foot,  as  Ready  had 
instructed  him ;  and  he  had  not  held  his  line  more  than 
half  a  minute  when  it  was  jerked  so  forcibly  that,  not 
expecting  it,  he  was  nearly  hauled  into  the  water ;  as 
it  was,  the  fish  was  so  strong  that  the  line  slipped 
through  his  hand  and  scorched  his  fingers  ;  but  after  a 
time  he  was  able  to  pull  it  in,  and  he  landed  on  the 
beach  a  large  silver-scaled  fish,  weighing  nine  or  ten 
pounds.  As  soon  as  he  had  dragged  it  so  far  away 
from  the  edge  of  the  rocks  as  to  prevent  its  flapping 
into  the  water  again,  William  took  out  the  hook  and 
determined  to  try  for  another.  His  line  was  down  as 
short  a  time  as  before,  when  it  was  again  jerked  with 
violence ;  but  William  was  this  time  prepared,  and  he 
let  out  the  line  and  played  the  fish  till  it  was  tired  and 
then  pulled  it  up,  and  found  that  the  second  fish  was 
even  larger  than  the  first.  Satisfied  with  his  success, 
he  wound  up  his  lines,  and  running  a  piece  of  string 
through  the  gills  of  the  fish,  dragged  them  back  to  the 
tents,  and  hung  them  to  the  pole,  for  fear  of  the  dogs 


162  MASTERMAN  READ  T. 

eating  them ;  then  he  went  in,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep. 
The  next  morning  William  was  first  up,  and  showed 
his  prizes  with  much  glee ;  but  Heady  was  very  much 
displeased  with  him. 

"  You  did  very  wrong,  Master  William,  to  run  the 
risk  which  you  did.  If  you  were  resolved  to  catch 
fish,  why  did  you  not  tell  me,  and  I  would  have  gone 
with  you  ?  You  say  yourself  that  the  fish  nearly 
hauled  you  into  the  water  :  suppose  it  had  done  so,  or 
suppose  a  small  shark  instead  of  one  of  these  gropers 
(as  we  call  them)  had  taken  the  bait,  you  must  have 
been  jerked  in ;  and  the  rocks  are  so  steep  there  that 
you  would  not  have  been  able  to  get  out  again  before 
a  shark  had  hold  of  you.  Think  a  moment,  Master 
William,  of  what  would  have  been  the  distress  of  your 
father  and  of  me  (for  I  love  you  dearly) ;  think  what 
would  have  been  the  agony  and  despair  of  your  poor 
mother,  when  this  news  should  have  arrived,  and  you 
were  not  to  be  found,  and  never  would  have  been  seen 
again." 

"  I  was  very  wrong,  Ready,"  replied  William,  "  now 
that  I  think  of  it ;  but  I  wanted  to  surprise  and  please 
my  mother." 

"  That  reason  is  almost  sufficient  to  plead  your  par- 
don, my  dear  boy,"  replied  Ready ;  "  but  don't  do  so 
again.  Recollect,  I  am  always  willing  and  anxious  to 
go  with  you  wherever  you  wish.  And  now  let  us  say 
no  more  about  it ;  nobody  will  know  that  you  have 
been  in  danger,  and  there's  no  harm  done ;  and  you 
mustn't  inind  an  old  man  scolding  you  a  little." 

"  No,  indeed,  Ready,  I  do  not,  for  I  was  very  thought- 
less; but  I  had  no  idea  that  there  was  danger." 

"  There's  your  mother  coming  out  of  her  tent,"  re- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  163 

plied  Keady.  "  Good-morning,  madam.  Do  you  know 
what  "William  has  done  for  you  last  night?  Look, 
madam,  here  are  two  beautiful  fish,  and  very  excellent 
eating  they  are,  I  can  tell  you." 

"  I  am  quite  delighted !"  replied  Mrs.  Seagrave. 
"  Tommy,  come  here.  Do  you  want  some  fried  fish  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Tommy. 

"  Then  look  up  at  the  pole  of  the  tent." 

Tommy  clapped  his  hands  and  danced  about,  crying, 
"  Fried  fish  for  dinner  ;"  and  Juno  said,  "  Have  very 
fine  dinner  to-day,  Missy  Caroline." 

After  breakfast  they  all  set  out  for  the  grove,  where 
Ready  had  been  cutting  down  the  trees,  taking  with 
them  the  wheels  and  axle,  and  a  couple  of  stout  ropes. 
Mr.  Seagrave  and  Ready  cut  down  the  trees  and  slung 
them  to  the  axle,  and  Juno  and  William  dragged  them 
to  the  spot  where  the  house  was  to  be  built. 

They  were  not  sorry  when  dinner  was  ready,  for  it 
was  very  hard  work ;  and  Tommy  was  so  ravenous, 
although  he  had  done  nothing,  that  at  last  they  were 
obliged  to  prevent  his  eating  any  more. 

That  night,  tired  as  they  were,  Ready  and  "William 
went  out  and  turned  eight  more  turtles.  They  con- 
tinued felling  the  cocoanut  trees  and  dragging  the 
timber  for  the  remainder  of  the  week,  when  they  con- 
sidered that  they  had  nearly  enough  to  commence 
building.  Sunday  was  passed  in  devotion  and  quiet. 
On  the  Monday  night  they  turned  nine  more  turtles, 
and  caught  three  large  fish ;  and  on  the  Tuesday 
morning  they  commenced  building  the  house. 


164  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE   NEW   HOUSE. 

READY  had  cut  out  and  prepared  the  doorposts  and 
window  frames  from  the  timber  which  he  had  towed 
round  from  the  cove.  He  now  fixed  four  poles  in  the 
earth  upright  at  each  corner,  and  then,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Mr.  Seagrave,  notched  every  log  of  cocoanut 
wood  on  both  sides,  where  it  was  to  meet  with  the  one 
crossing  it,  so  that,  by  laying  log  upon  log  alternately 
they  fitted  pretty  close,  and  had  only  to  have  the 
chinks  between  them  filled  in  with  cocoanut  leaves 
twisted  very  tight  and  forced  between  them :  this 
latter  was  the  work  of  William  and  Juno  when  no 
more  logs  were  ready  for  carrying ;  and,  by  degrees, 
the  house  rose  up  from  its  foundation.  The  fireplace 
could  not  be  made  at  once,  as  they  had  either  to  find 
clay  or  to  burn  shells  into  lime  and  build  it  up  with 
rocks  and  mortar ;  but  a  space  was  left  for  it.  For 
three  weeks  they  worked  very  hard ;  as  soon  as  the 
sides  were  up  they  got  on  the  whole  of  the  roof  and 
rafters ;  and  then,  with  the  broad  leaves  of  the  cocoa- 
nut-trees  which  had  been  cut  down,  Ready  thatched  it 
very  strong  and  securely,  keeping  the  thatch  down 
with  the  weight  of  heavy  poles  slung  over  the  top  of 
the  roof  with  stout  ropes.  At  the  end  of  the  three 


MASTERMAN  READY.  165 

weeks  the  house  was  secure  from  the  weather ;  and  it 
was  quite  time,  for  the  weather  had  begun  to  change, 
the  clouds  now  gathered  thick,  and  the  rainy  season 
was  commencing.  They  had  a  very  violent  shower 
one  day,  and  then  the  weather  cleared  again. 

"  We  have  no  time  to  lose,  sir,"  said  Ready  to  Mr. 
Seagrave.  "  We  have  worked  hard,  but  we  must  for  a 
few  days  work  harder  still.  We  must  fit  up  the  inside 
of  the  house  so  as  to  enable  madam  to  get  into  it  as 
soon  as  possible." 

The  earth  in  the  inside  of  the  house  was  then  beaten 
down  hard,  so  as  to  make  a  floor ;  and  a  sort  of  bed- 
stead, about  two  feet  from  the  ground,  running  the 
whole  length  of  the  house,  was  raised  on  each  side  of 
the  interior ;  these  were  fitted  with  canvas  screens  to 
let  down  by  night.  And  then  Ready  and  William 
took  the  last  trip  in  the  boat  to  fetch  down  the  chairs 
and  tables,  which  they  did  just  before  the  coming  on 
of  the  first  storm  of  the  season.  The  bedding  and  all 
the  utensils  were  now  taken  into  the  house ;  and  a 
little  outhouse  was  built  up  to  cook  in,  until  the  fire- 
place could  be  made. 

It  was  late  on  the  Saturday  night  that  the  family 
were  shifted  into  the  new  house ;  and  fortunate  it  was 
that  they  had  no  further  occasion  for  delay,  for  on  the 
Sunday  morning  the  first  storm  burst  upon  them  ;  the 
wind  blew  with  great  force  ;  and,  although  they  were 
shielded  from  it,  still  the  cocoanut-trees  ground  and 
sawed  each  other's  stems,  as  they  bent  their  heads  to 
its  force.  The  lightning  was  vivid,  and  the  thunder 
appalling,  while  the  rain  descended  in  such  a  con- 
tinual torrent  that  it  appeared  as  if  another  deluge 


166  MASTERMAN  READY, 

was  at  hand.  The  animals  left  the  pastures,  and 
sheltered  themselves  in  the  grove ;  the  dogs  crouched 
under  the  bed-places  ;  and  although  noonday,  it  was  so 
dark  that  they  could  not  see  to  read. 

"  This,  then,  is  the  rainy  season  which  you  talked 
about,  Ready,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave.  "  Is  it  always  like 
this  ?  If  so,  what  shall  we  do  ?" 

"  No,  madam  ;  the  sun  will  shine  sometimes,  but  not 
for  a  long  while  at  a  time.  "We  shall  be  able  to  get 
out  and  do  something  every  now  and  then  almost 
every  day,  but  still  we  shall  have  rain,  perhaps  for 
many  days  without  intermission,  and  we  must  work 
indoors  ;  I  dare  say  we  shall  find  plenty  to  do." 

"How  thankful  we  ought  to  be  that  we  have  a 
house  over  our  heads ;  why,  we  should  have  been 
drowned  in  the  tents !" 

"  That  I  knew,  madam,  and  therefore  I  was  anxious 
to  get  a  house  over  your  head ;  let  us  thank  God  for 
it." 

"  Indeed  we  ought,"  observed  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  and 
it  is,  indeed,  time  for  us  to  read  the  service.  Are  you 
ready,  my  dear  ?" 

"  Quite  ready  ;  and  I'm  sure  we  shall  offer  up  our 
prayers  this  day  with  grateful  hearts,  for  He  has  been 
most  bountiful  to  us." 

The  morning  service  was  then  performed  in  the  new 
house.  Violent  as  the  rain  was,  it  did  not  penetrate 
through  the  thatch  which  had  been  put  on.  Ready 
and  William  went  out  to  secure  the  boat,  which  they 
were  afraid  would  be  injured,  and  returned  wet  to  the 
skin.  They  dined  off  cold  meat,  but  they  were  very 
happy.  The  storm  continued  without  intermission  the 


MASTERMAN  READY. 

whole  of  the  night,  but  they  slept  dry  and  safe  ;  and 
when  awakened  by  the  noise  of  the  thunder  and  the 
pelting  of  the  rain,  they  thanked  God  that  they  had 
found  a  dwelling  in  the  wilderness  upon  which  they 
had  been  cast. 


MASTERMAN  BEADY. 


CHAPTEK  XXX. 

TWO   KIDS   FOUND. 

AT  the  end  of  the  last  chapter  we  left  off  where  our 
party  on  the  island  had  taken  possession  of  their  new 
house,  at  the  commencement  of  the  rainy  season.  It 
was  on  Saturday,  and  a  storm  had  come  on,  which  had 
continued  during  the  whole  night ;  for  the  storms  are 
very  violent  in  the  tropical  countries,  when  the  rainy 
season  (which  is  equivalent  to  our  winter)  first  makes 
its  appearance.  When,  however,  they  all  rose  up  the 
next  morning,  the  clouds  had  cleared  off,  and  the  sun 
was  shining  bright.  Heady  and  Juno  were  the  first 
out  of  the  house — Keady  with  the  telescope  under  his 
arm,  which  he  always  took  with  him  when  he  went  his 
rounds,  as  he  termed  it,  in  the  morning. 

"  "Well,  Juno,"  said  Ready,  "  this  is  a  fine  morning 
after  the  rain." 

"  Yes,  Massa  Ready,  very  fine  morning ;  but  how  I 
get  fire  light,  and  make  kittle  boil  for  breakfast,  I 
really  don't  know — stick  and  cocoanut  trash  all  so 
wet." 

"  Before  I  went  to  bed  last  night,  Juno,  I  covered  up 
the  embers  with  ashes,  put  some  stones  over  them,  and 
then  some  cocoanut  branches  ;  so  I  think  you  will  find 
some  fire  there  yet.  You  see,  Juno,  we  must  do  our 


XA8TBRMAN  READY.  169 

best ;  we  can't  do  everything  at  once ;  but  next  year, 
if  we  live  and  do  well,  I  dare  say  we  shall  have  a  stack 
of  dry  fuel,  and  well  thatched,  all  ready  for  the  rainy 
season.  I  was  going  my  morning's  round,  but  I  will 
stay  a  little  and  help  you." 

"  T'ank  you,  Massa  Eeady ;  plenty  rain  fall  last 
night." 

"  Yes,  not  a  little,  Juno ;  you  must  not  expect  to 
find  the  water  at  the  well  very  clear  this  morning ; 
indeed,  I  doubt  if  you  will  see  the  well  at  all.  Here's 
some  stuff  which  is  not  very  wet." 

"  I  got  plenty  of  fire,  too,"  replied  Juno,  who  had 
removed  the  branches  and  stones,  and  was  now  on  her 
knees,  blowing  up  the  embers. 

"  You'll  do  very  well  now,  Juno,"  said  Ready ; 
"besides,  Master  William  will  be  out  directly — so  I'll 
leave  you." 

Ready  whistled  to  the  dogs,  who  came  bounding 
out,  and  then  set  off  on  his  round  of  inspection.  He 
first  directed  his  steps  to  the  well  in  the  ravine ;  but, 
instead  of  the  gushing  spring  and  the  limpid  clear 
water  with  which  the  cask  sunk  for  a  well  had  been 
filled,  there  was  now  a  muddy  torrent,  rushing  down 
the  ravine,  and  the  well  was  covered  with  it,  and  not 
to  be  distinguished. 

"  I  thought  as  much,"  said  Ready,  musing  over  the 
impetuous  stream ;  "  well,  better  too  much  water  than 
too  little."  Ready  waded  through,  as  he  wished  to 
examine  the  turtle-pond,  which  was  on  the  other  side 
of  the  stream.  Finding  it  all  right,  he  again  crossed 
the  water,  where  it  was  now  spread  wide  over  the 
sandy  beach,  until  he  came  to  the  other  point,  where 
he  had  moored  his  boat,  both  by  the  head  and  stern, 


170  MASTERMAN  READY. 

with  a  rope,  and  a  heavy  stone  made  fast  to  it,  as  an 
anchor. 

From  this  point,  as  usual,  he  surveyed  the  horizon 
with  his  telescope  ;  not  that  he  thought  that  there  was 
a  chance  of  a  vessel  arriving  among  these  islands ;  but 
still,  as  it  was  possible,  he  took  the  trouble  ;  but  never 
except  when  he  went  out  in  the  morning  alone,  as  he 
was  aware  that  the  very  circumstance  of  his  so  doing 
would  make  Mr.  Seagrave  melancholy  and  unsettled. 
As  usual,  he  dropped  the  telescope  on  his  arm,  after 
his  survey,  saying  to  himself,  "  Little  use  doing  that." 

The  gale  having  blown  off  shore,  the  boat  had 
dragged  her  moorings,  and  was  so  far  out  that  Heady 
could  not  get  at  her. 

"  Here's  a  puzzle,"  said  the  old  man  ;  "  how  foolish 
of  me  not  to  have  made  a  line  fast  to  the  shore.  I'll 
not  trust  myself  to  John  Shark  by  swimming  to  the 
boat.  Let  me  see."  Ready  took  the  halyards  and 
sheets  belonging  to  the  boat  sails,  which  he  had  left 
on  the  beach,  and  bent  one  on  to  the  other  until  he 
had  sufficient  length  of  rope.  He  then  made  a  piece 
of  wood,  about  two  feet  long,  fast  by  the  middle  to 
the  end  of  the  rope,  and,  after  one  or  two  attempts, 
contrived  to  throw  it  into  the  boat.  The  piece  of  wood 
caught  under  one  of  the  thwarts,  and  this  enabled  him 
to  draw  the  boat  to  the  shore. 

Having  baled  out  the  water  which  had  fallen  into 
her  during  the  storm,  he  then  landed  again  and  ex- 
amined the  garden. 

"Now  to  find  the  sheep  and  goats,"  said  Ready, 
"  and  then  my  morning's  walk  is  over.  Now,  Romulus, 
now,  Remus,  boys,  find  them  out,"  continued  he ;  and 
the  dogs,  who  appeared  to  know  what  he  was  in 


MASTERMAN  READY.  171 

search  or,  went  away  in  pursuit,  and  soon  found  the 
sheep  and  two  of  the  goats,  but  the  third  goat  was  not 
with  them. 

"  Why,  where  can  black  Nanny  be  ?"  muttered  old 
Ready,  stopping  a  little  while ;  at  last  he  heard  a 
bleat,  in  a  small  copse  of  brushwood,  to  which  he 
directed  his  steps,  followed  by  the  dogs.  "  I  thought 
as  much,"  said  the  old  man,  as  he  perceived  Nanny 
lying  down  in  the  copse,  with  two  new-born  kids  at 
her  side.  "Come,  my  little  fellows,  we  must  find 
some  shelter  for  you,"  said  he,  taking  one  up  under 
each  arm.  "Come,  Nanny.  Down,  Romulus,  down, 
sir,"  said  he  to  the  dog,  who  had  jumped  up  at  the 
kids.  "  How  dare  you,  sir  ?  Down,  I  say.  Ay ! 
there  you  are  down,  sure  enough."  And  so  he  was, 
for  Nanny,  not  liking  the  dog's  approach  to  her  young 
ones,  had  rushed  upon  him,  and  butted  him  till  he 
tumbled  over  and  over.  Ready  walked  back  to  the 
house,  and  brought  in  the  kids,  followed  by  Nanny. 
He  found  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  children  all 
dressed.  Caroline  and  Tommy  gave  a  scream  of  de- 
light when  they  saw  the  little  kids,  and  even  little 
Albert  clapped  his  hands.  As  soon  as  Ready  put 
them  down  on  the  ground,  Tommy  and  Caroline  had 
each  of  them  their  arms  round  one. 

"  I've  brought  an  addition  to  our  family,  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave,"  said  Ready ;  "  I  must  request  you  to  allow  them 
to  remain  in  the  house  until  I  can  knock  up  a  little 
shelter  for  them.  This  is  only  the  beginning ;  I  expect 
we  shall  soon  have  more." 

As  soon  as  the  children  could  be  persuaded  to  part 
with  the  kids,  Nanny  was  tied  up  in  a  corner,  and  was 
very  content  with  fondling  and  nursing  her  progeny. 


172  MASTERMAN  READY. 

Juno  and  William  brought  in  the  breakfast,  and  as 
soon  as  it  was  over  Mr.  Seagrave  said,  "  Now,  Keady, 
I  think  we  must  hold  a  council,  and  make  arrange- 
ments as  to  our  allotted  duties  and  employments 
during  the  rainy  season.  We  have  a  great  deal  to  do, 
and  must  not  be  idle." 

"  Yes,  sir,  we  have  a  great  deal  to  do,  and,  to  get 
through  our  work,  we  must  have  order  and  method  in 
our  doings.  I've  lived  long  enough  to  know  how  much 
can  be  done  by  regularity  and  discipline.  Why,  sir, 
there  is  more  work  got  out  of  men  in  a  well-conducted 
man-of-war  than  there  can  in  the  merchant  service  in 
double  the  time.  And  why  so?  Because  everything 
is  in  its  place,  and  there  is  a  place  for  everything.  If 
you  want  anything,  you  do  not  lose  time  looking  for 
it,  because  you  know  where  to  lay  your  hand  upon  it. 
Besides,  sir,  every  man  knows  what  he  has  to  do — and 
others  know  it  also." 

"I  agree  with  you,  Keady,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave; 
"  method  is  everything.  While  one  careless  little  girl 
is  looking  for  her  thimble,  another  will  have  finished 
her  work,  and  I  promise  you  that,  inside  of  the  house, 
as  soon  as  we  have  the  shelves  and  nails  put  up,  every- 
thing shall  be  in  its  place,  and  there  shall  be  a  place 
for  everything." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  madam,  if  I  talk  too  much  ; 
but  I  assure  you  I  never  should  have  known  what 
could  have  been  done  by  order  and  arrangement  if  I 
had  not  been  pressed  on  board  of  a  man-of-war.  After 
having  been  so  long  in  the  merchant  service,  where  all 
was  noise  and  confusion  at  the  best  of  times,  I  found 
that  everything  was  done  in  silence ;  indeed,  there  was 
no  occasion  for  any  one  to  spseak,  except  the  officer 


MASTERMAN  READY.  173 

carrying  on  duty.  Every  man  was  to  his  post ;  every 
one  had  a  rope  to  haul  upon  or  a  rope  to  let  go ;  the 
boatswain  piped,  and  in  a  few  seconds  every  sail  was 
set  or  taken  in,  as  was  required.  It  seemed  to  me  at 
first  like  magic.  And  you  observe,  Mr.  Seagrave,  that 
when  there  is  order  and  discipline  every  man  becomes 
of  individual  importance ;  as  any  neglect  of  any  one  in 
the  duty  allotted  to  him  immediately  puts  everybody 
else  out,  and  everything  goes  wrong;  besides,  the 
blame  is  always  certain  to  be  given  to  the  party  who 
is  guilty.  If  I  learned  nothing  else  on  board  of  a  man- 
of-war,  I  learned  to  make  the  most  of  time,  and  the 
most  of  the  strength  which  you  could  command." 

"  You  are  very  right,  Ready ;  you  must  teach  us  to 
do  the  same,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  We  have  so  much  to  do  that  I  hardly  know  where 
to  begin ;  yet,  sir,  we  must  work  at  present  how  we 
can,  and  when  we  can,  until  we  have  got  things  into  a 
little  better  order.  "We  have  done  well  up  to  the 
present." 

"  What  do  you  think  we  ought  to  do  first,  Ready  ?" 

"  Well,  sir,  our  first  job  will  be  to  haul  up  the  boat 
and  secure  her  from  harm  ;  we  will  half-dock  her  in 
the  sand  and  cover  her  over ;  for  I  do  not  think  it  will 
be  safe  to  go  in  her  to  the  other  side  of  the  island, 
where  the  sea  will  always  be  rough ;  indeed  the  weather 
will  be  too  uncertain  to  calculate  upon  even  two  or 
three  hours  of  smooth  water." 

"  There  I  perfectly  agree  with  you.  Now  what  is 
the  next?" 

"  Why,  sir,  we  must  not  leave  the  tents  where  they 
are,  but  take  them  down,  and  as  soon  as  they  are  dry, 
stow  them  away,  for  we  may  want  them  by  and  by  ; 


1 74  MA8TERMAN  READ  T. 

then,  sir,  we  must  build  a  large  outhouse  for  our  stores 
and  provisions,  with  a  thatched  roof,  and  a  floor  raised 
about  four  feet  from  the  ground  ;  and  then,  under  the 
floor,  the  sheep  and  goats  will  have  a  protection  from 
the  weather.  We  can  easily  run  that  up;  we  must 
cover  in  three  sides,  and  that  we  can  do  with  cocoanut 
boughs  in  a  very  short  time.  Then,  sir,  there  is  the 
fish-pond  to  make,  and  also  a  salt-pan  to  cut  out  of  the 
rock ;  but  those  we  must  do  when  we  have  no  other 
work.  Then  we  have  two  more  long  jobs.  One  is  to 
go  through  the  woods  and  examine  the  stores  we  have 
left  on  the  other  side  of  the  island,  sort  and  arrange 
them,  all  ready  for  bringing  here  after  the  rains  are 
over ;  and  we  must  also  explore  the  island  a  little,  sir, 
and  find  out  what  it  produces;  for  you  see,  sir,  at 
present  we  know  nothing  of  it :  we  may  find  a  great 
many  things  useful  to  us,  a  great  many  trees  and  fruits, 
and  I  hope  and  trust  we  may  be  able  to  find  some  more 
grass  for  our  live  stock ;  for  you  see,  sir,  if  it  is  to  in- 
crease so  as  to  be  useful  to  us,  we  shall  not  have  food 
for  them  here,  especially  if  we  want  more  land  for  our 
seeds,  which  we  probably  shall." 

"  I  agree  with  you  in  all  you  say,  Ready,"  replied 
Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  now  how  shall  we  divide  our  strength  ?" 

"We  will  not  divide  at  present,  sir,  if  you  please. 
Juno  has  plenty  to  do  indoors  with  Mrs.  Seagrave ; 
Master  William,  and  you,  and  I  will  first  secure  the 
boat  and  stow  away  the  tents  and  gear ;  after  that  we 
will  set  about  the  outbuilding,  and  work  at  it  when  we 
can.  If  Juno  has  any  time  to  spare,  she  had  better 
collect  the  cocoanut  leaves  and  pile  them  up  for  fuel ; 
and  Master  Tommy  will,  I  dare  say,  go  with  her,  and 
show  her  how  to  draw  them  along." 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  175 

"  Yes,  I'll  show  her,"  said  Tommy,  getting  on  his 
feet. 

"  Not  just  now,  Master  Tommy,"  said  Ready,  "  but 
as  soon  as  your  mamma  can  spare  her  to  go  with  you. 
Come,  sir,  a  few  hours  of  Aveather  like  this  is  not  to  be 
lost,"  continued  Ready ;  "  we  shall  have  more  rain  be- 
fore the  day  is  over,  I  expect.  If  you  please,  sir,  I  will 
first  go  to  the  tents  for  the  shovels  and  take  them  down 
with  me ;  then  I  will  haul  the  boat  round  to  the  beach 
and  meet  you  there.  You  and  Master  William  can 
take  some  cord,  tie  up  a  large  bundle  of  cocoanut 
boughs,  sling  it  to  the  wheels,  and  draw  it  down  to  the 
beach  and  meet  me." 

"  That  will  do,  Ready,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  Come, 
"William." 


176  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

OLD    READY'S    STOKY, 


As  so  many  cocoanut-trees  had  been  cut  down  to 
build  the  house,  there  were  plenty  of  boughs  lying  in 
every  direction,  and  William  and  Mr.  Seagrave  had 
soon  procured  sufficient.  They  found,  on  their  arrival 
at  the  beach,  that  Ready  had  brought  round  the  boat, 
and  had  laid  the  rollers  all  ready  for  hauling  it  up. 
In  a  very  short  time  the  boat  was  drawn  up  about  ten 
yards  from  the  water's  edge,  which  Ready  said  was 
quite  sufficient ;  they  then  dug  from  under  with  their 
shovels  until  the  boat  was  sunk  about  half  down  in  the 
sand. 

Having  filled  in  the  sand  all  round  her  up  to  her 
gunnel,  the  boat  was  then  carefully  covered  over  with 
the  boughs,  which  were  weighed  down  wTith  sand,  that 
they  might  not  be  blown  away. 

"  I  don't  see  why  you  should  cover  the  boat  up  in 
this  way,  Ready ;  the  rain  won't  hurt  her,"  observed 
William. 

"  No,  sir,  the  rain  won't  do  her  any  harm,  but  the 
sun  will,  when  it  bursts  out  occasionally ;  for  it's  very 
powerful  when  it  does  shine,  and  it  would  split  her  all 
to  pieces." 

"  I  forgot  that,"  replied  William.  "  What  shall  we 
do  now,  Ready  ?" 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  177 

"  Suppose,  as  we  have  two  hours  to  dinner-time,  you 
run  for  the  lines,  Master  William,  and  we'll  try  for 
some  fish." 

"  We  cannot  all  three  of  us  fish  with  only  two  lines," 
said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"No,  sir;  and  as  Master  William  knows  how  to 
catch  them,  suppose  you  remain  with  him,  and  I  will 
go  up  and  collect  wood  and  chips  for  Juno's  fire.  She 
was  hard  pressed  for  it  this  morning,  it  was  so  Avet ; 
but  if  once  piled  up  it  will  soon  be  dry.  Be  careful, 
Mr.  Seagrave,  if  you  please,  and  do  not  hold  the  lines 
tight  in  your  hands,  or  you  may  be  jerked  into  the 
water.  I've  cautioned  Master  William,  but  it  may  be 
as  well  for  you  to  caution  him  again,  for  he  is  young 
and  very  eager." 

Keady  met  William  returning  with  the  lines,  and 
thought  it  right  to  remind  him  of  the  danger  he  ran 
when  he  was  fishing  the  last  time,  and  then  went  on  to 
his  work,  dragging  after  him  the  wheels  and  the  ax, 
as  they  were  no  longer  required  at  the  beach. 

Mr.  Seagrave  and  William  were  very  fortunate ;  be- 
fore the  two  hours  were  expired  they  had  caught  eight 
large  fish,  which  they  brought  up  to  the  house  slung 
on  the  boathook,  which  Ready  had  advised  them  to 
take  with  them  to  haul  the  fish  out  of  the  water,  that 
they  might  not  break  their  lines.  Tommy  hallooed 
loudly  for  fish  for  dinner,  and  as  they  had  caught  so 
many  it  was  agreed  that  the  dinner  should  be  put  off 
until  some  should  be  got  ready,  and  they  were  not 
sorry  to  eat  them  instead  of  the  salt  pork  which  was 
to  have  been  their  only  fare  on  that  day. 

They  had  hardly  sat  down  to  table,  when  the  rain 
came  pattering  down  on  the  roof,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an 


178  MASTERMAN  READY. 

hour  the  storm  was  as  violent,  and  the  thunder  and  light- 
ning as  terrific,  as  on  the  day  before.  All  the  outdoor 
labor  was  again  suspended.  Mrs.  Seagrave,  Juno,  and 
Caroline  took  their  work,  for  there  was  plenty  to  do 
with  the  needle  and  thread,  and  Eeady  soon  found  em- 
ployment for  the  rest.  "William  and  Mr.  Seagrave 
inlaid  some  thick  rope,  that  Ready  might  make  smaller 
and  more  useful  rope  with  the  yarns.  Ready  took  up 
his  sailing-needles,  and  worked  eyelet-holes  in  the  can- 
vas screens  (which  they  had  put  up  in  a  hurry)  so  that 
they  might  be  drawn  to  and  fro  as  required;  and 
Tommy  was  given  a  tangled  hank  of  twine  to  clear 
out,  which,  as  he  was  tired  of  doing  nothing,  he  worked 
at  very  patiently.  As  soon  as  Ready  had  hung  up  the 
curtains  he  looked  under  the  bedsteads  for  a  large 
bundle,  and  said,  as  he  opened  it,  "  I  shall  now  deco- 
rate Madam  Seagrave's  sleeping-place.  It  ought  to 
be  handsomer  than  the  others."  The  bundle  was  com- 
posed of  the  ship's  ensign,  which  was  red,  and  a  large, 
square,  yellow  flag  with  the  name  of  the  ship  Pacific 
in  large,  black  letters  upon  it.  These  two  flags  Ready 
festooned  and  tied  up  round  the  bed-place,  so  as  to  give 
it  a  very  gay  appearance,  and  also  to  hide  the  rough 
walls  of  the  cottage. 

"  Indeed,  Ready,  I  am  much  obliged  to  you,"  said 
Mrs.  Seagrave  when  he  had  finished;  "it  is  really 
quite  grand  for  this  place." 

"It's  the  best  use  we  can  put  them  to  now, 
madam,"  said  Ready. 

"  I  am  afraid  so,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave  thoughtfully. 

"Ready,"  said  William,  after  the  candles  were 
lighted,  "  you  once  half-promised  me  that  you  would 


MASTERMAN  READY.  179 

tell  me  your  history  ;  I  wish  you  would  tell  us  some  of 
it  now,  as  it  will  pass  away  the  evening." 

"  "Well,  Master  William,  I  did  say  so,  and  I  shall  keep 
my  word.  When  you  have  heard  my  story  you  will 
say  that  I  have  been  very  foolish  in  my  time ;  and  so 
I  have ;  but  if  it  proves  a  warning  to  you,  it  will,  at  all 
events,  be  of  some  use." 

"We  shall  like  to  hear  it  very  much,"  said  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave. 

"Well,  madam,  then  you  shall  hear  it;"  and  Ready 
then  commenced  his  history  as  follows : 

HISTORY   OF   OLD  READY. 

"  Of  course  you  wish  to  know  who  my  father  and 
mother  were :  that  is  soon  told.  My  father  was  the 
captain  of  a  merchant  vessel  which  traded  from  South 
Shields  to  Hamburg,  and  my  poor  mother,  God  bless 
her,  was  the  daughter  of  a  half-pay  militia  captain, 
who  died  about  two  months  after  their  marriage.  The 
property  which  the  old  gentleman  had  bequeathed  to 
my  mother  was  added  to  that  which  my  father  had 
already  vested  in  the  brig,  and  he  then  owned  one-third 
of  the  vessel ;  the  other  two-thirds  were  the  property 
of  a  very  rich  shipbuilder  and  owner,  of  the  name  of 
Masterman.  What  with  the  profits  of  the  share  he 
held  of  the  vessel  and  his  pay  as  captain  my  father 
was  well-to-do.  Mr.  Masterman,  who  had  a  very  high 
opinion  of  my  father,  and  gained  much  money  by  his 
exertions  and  good  management,  was  present  at  the 
marriage,  and  when  I  was  born,  about  a  year  afterward, 
he  stood  for  me  as  godfather.  Every  one  considered 
that  this  was  a  most  advantageous  circumstance  for 
me,  and  congratulated  my  father  and  mother,  for  Mr. 


180  MASTERMAN  READY. 

Masterman  was  a  bachelor  of  nearly  sixty  years,  with, 
out  any  near  relations.  It  is  true  that  he  was  very 
fond  of  money ;  but  that,  they  said,  was  all  the  better, 
as  he  could  not  take  it  away  with  him  when  he  died. 
An  end,  however,  was  soon  put  to  all  their  worldly 
ideas,  for  a  year  after  I  was  born  my  father  was 
drowned  at  sea,  his  vessel  and  the  whole  of  her  crew 
being  lost  on  the  Texel  Sands ;  and  my  mother  found 
herself  a  widow,  with  a  child  scarcely  weaned,  when 
she  was  but  twenty-two  years  of  age. 

"  It  was  supposed  that  my  mother  would  still  have 
sufficient  to  live  upon,  as  the  ship  had  been  insured  at 
two-thirds  of  her  value ;  but,  to  the  astonishment  of 
everybody,  Mr.  Masterman  contrived  to  make  it  appear 
that  it  was  his  two-thirds  of  the  vessel  which  had  been 
insured." 

"  What  is  insurance  ?"  inquired  William. 

"  Insurance,  my  dear  boy,  is  paying  a  certain  sum  to 
people  who  are  called  underwriters,  that  in  case  the 
vessel  or  cargo  is  lost  or  damaged,  the  loss  or  damage 
is  made  good  to  the  owners  of  the  vessel  or  cargo. 
You  pay  in  proportion  to  the  risk  incurred.  For  in- 
stance, in  war  time  you  pay  ten  per  cent. — that  is,  ten 
pounds  for  every  hundred  pounds  you  insure.  Sup- 
posing you  wished  to  insure  one  thousand  pounds  on  a 
vessel  or  cargo,  and  ten  per  cent,  was  required,  you 
would,  if  the  vessel  came  home  safe,  pay  the  under- 
writers one  hundred  pounds ;  if,  on  the  contrary,  the 
vessel  was  lost,  the  underwriters  would  have  to  pay 
you  one  thousand  pounds,  the  sum  which  you  had 
insured.  Do  you  understand  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  understand,  papa.  But  I  do  not  understand 
how  an  underwriter  can  make  money  by  it ;  for  many 


MASTERMAN  READY.  181 

vessels  are  lost  or  taken  during  a  war,  ana  then  he  has 
such  large  sums  to  pay." 

"  You  must  recollect  that  for  one  that  is  taken,  or 
lost,  there  are  fifty  or  more  which  arrive  safe ;  and  as 
the  underwriters  are  paid  for  all  those  that  arrive  safe, 
the  business  is  profitable;  indeed  it  must  be  so,  or 
there  would  not  be  so  many  underwriters  and  insur- 
ance companies.  I  beg  your  pardon  for  the  interrup- 
tion, Keacly." 

"  No  need,  Mr.  Seagrave ;  we  never  should  lose  an 
opportunity  of  teaching  the  young ;  indeed  you  have 
taught  the  old  as  well  this  time,  for  I  was  not  so  clear 
of  the  matter  before  as  I  am  now.  Well,  sir ;  how  far 
the  assertion  of  Mr.  Masterman  was  correct  or  not,  it 
was  impossible  at  the  time  to  say  ;  but  I  do  know  that 
everybody  cried  out '  Shame,' and  that  if  he  did  de- 
prive the  widow,  he  had  much  to  answer  for ;  for  the 
Bible  says,  '  pure  religion  is  to  visit  the  fatherless  and 
the  widows  in  their  affliction '  (of  course,  Master  Will- 
iam, with  a  view  of  assisting  them), '  and  to  keep  your- 
self unspotted  in  the  world.'  The  consequence  was, 
that  my  mother  had  little  or  nothing  to  live  upon ;  but 
she  found  friends  who  assisted  her,  and  she  worked 
embroidery,  and  contrived  to  get  on  somehow  until  I 
was  eight  or  nine  years  of  age." 

"  But  did  not  your  godfather,  Mr.  Masterman,  come 
forward  to  the  assistance  of  your  mother?"  inquired 
Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  No,  sir,  strange  to  say,  he  did  not ;  and  that  made 
people  talk  the  more.  I  believe  it  was  the  abuse  of 
him,  which  he  did  not  fail  to  hear,  and  which  he  as- 
cribed to  my  mother,  which  turned  him  away  from  us ; 
perhaps  it  was  his  own  conscience,  for  we  always  dis- 


182  MASTERMAN  READY. 

like  those  we  have  injured,  becoming  vexed  with  them, 
instead  of  being  vexed  with  ourselves." 

"  Unfortunately,  there  is  great  truth  in  that  remark 
of  yours,  Ready,"  observed  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  still  it  is 
strange  that  he  did  not  do  something." 

"  It  was  very  strange,  sir — at  least,  so  it  appeared  at 
the  time ;  but  he  was  very  fond  of  money,  and  irri- 
tated at  the  reports  and  observations  which  were  made 
about  him.  But,  to  go  on,  sir :  I  was  a  strong,  active, 
hardy  boy,  and,  whenever  I  could  escape  from  my 
mother  or  school,  was  always  found  by  the  waterside 
or  on  board  of  the  vessels;  for  I  took  naturally  to 
everything  connected  with  the  sea.  In  the  summer 
time  I  was  half  the  day  in  water,  and  was  a  very  good 
swimmer.  My  mother  perceived  my  fondness  for  the 
profession,  and  tried  all  she  could  to  divert  my  thoughts 
some  other  way.  She  told  me  of  the  dangers  and 
hardships  which  sailors  went  through,  and  always 
ended  with  my  father's  death  and  a  flood  of  tears. 

"  We  certainly  are  of  a  perverse  nature,  as  I  have 
often  heard  the  clergyman  say,  for  it  appears  to  me 
that  we  always  wish  to  do  that  which  we  are  told  not 
to  do.  If  my  mother  had  not  been  always  persuading 
me  against  going  to  sea,  I  really  believe  I  might  have 
stayed  at  home.  Mine  was  a  proud  nature,  when  I 
was  a  child.  I  suppose  I  got  it  from  my  father,  for 
my  mother,  poor  thing,  was  humble  enough.  I  could 
not  bear  that  any  boy  should  do  what  I  could  not ; 
and  I  often  ventured  so  rashly,  that  I  might  do  more 
than  other  boys  dared  to  do,  that  it  was  a  wonder,  as 
every  one  then  said,  that  I  had  not  lost  my  life  a 
hundred  times ;  and  my  poor  mother  was  continually 
hearing  of  some  danger  that  I  was  in,  and  she  would 


MASTERMA N  READ  T.  183 

first  scold  and  then  entreat  me  not  to  be  so  venture- 
some, and  then  she  would  go  into  her  room  and  weep 
and  pray,  for  I  was  her  only  hope  and  comfort,  and  all 
that  bound  her  to  the  world.  I've  often  thought 
since,  how  selfish  and  unfeeling  I  must  have  been.  I 
was  too  young  to  know  what  pain  I  was  giving  her, 
and  how  anxiety  was  preying  upon  her,  all  on  my 
account.  Children  cannot  feel  it ;  if  they  did,  they 
would  do  otherwise,  for  our  hearts  are  seldom  hard 
until  we  grow  older." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Keady,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  If 
children  really  knew  how  much  their  parents  suffer 
when  they  behave  ill,  how  alarmed  they  are  at  any 
proofs  of  wickedness  in  them,  they  would  be  much 
better." 

"  "We  never  find  that  out,  sir,  till  it  is  too  late,"  con- 
tinued Ready.  "  Well,  sir,  I  was  little  more  than  nine 
years  old,  when,  on  a  very  windy  day,  and  the  water 
rough,  a  hawser,  by  which  a  vessel  was  fast  to  the 
wharf,  was  carried  away  with  a  violent  jerk,  and  the 
broken  part,  as  it  flew  out,  struck  a  person  who  was  at 
the  edge  of  the  wharf,  and  knocked  him  into  the  sea. 
I  heard  the  crying  out,  and  the  men  from  the  wharf 
and  from  the  ships  were  throwing  ropes  to  him,  but 
he  could  not  catch  hold  of  them ;  indeed,  he  could 
not  swim  well,  and  the  water  was  rough.  I  caught  a 
rope  that  Tiad  been  hauled  in  again,  and  leaped  off  the 
wharf. 

"  Young  as  I  was,  I  swam  like  a  duck,  and  put  the 
rope  into  his  hands  just  as  he  was  going  down.  He 
clung  to  it  as  drowning  men  only  can  cling,  and  was 
hauled  to  the  piles,  and  soon  afterward  a  boat,  which 
had  been  lowered  from  the  stern  of  one  of  the  vessels, 


184  MASTERMAN  READY. 

picked  us  both  up.  "We  were  taken  to  a  public-house, 
and  put  into  bed  till  dry  clothes  could  be  sent  for  us ; 
and  then  I  found  that  the  person  I  had  saved  was  my 
godfather,  Mr.  Masterman.  Every  one  was  loud  in 
my  praise  ;  and  although  perhaps  I  ought  not  to  say  it 
(and,  indeed,  I  do  not  say  it  out  of  vanity),  it  was  a 
bold  act  for  so  young  a  boy  as  I  was.  The  sailors  took 
me  home  to  my  mother  in  a  sort  of  triumphant  pro- 
cession ;  and  she,  poor  thing,  when  she  heard  what  I 
had  done,  embraced  me  over  and  over  again,  one 
moment  rejoicing  at  my  preservation,  and  the  next 
weeping  bitterly  at  the  thought  of  the  danger  I  had 
encountered,  and  the  probability  that  my  bold  spirit 
would  lead  me  into  still  greater." 

"But  she  did  not  blame  you  for  what  you  had 
done?" 

"  Oh,  no,  Master  William  ;  she  felt  that  I  had  done 
my  duty  toward  my  neighbor,  and  perhaps  she  felt  in 
her  own  heart  that  I  had  returned  good  for  evil ;  but 
she  did  not  say  so.  The  next  day  Mr.  Masterman 
called  upon  us ;  he  certainly  looked  very  foolish  and 
confused  when  he  asked  for  his  godson,  whom  he  had 
so  long  neglected.  My  mother,  who  felt  how  useful 
he  might  be  to  me,  received  him  very  kindly ;  but  I 
had  been  often  told  of  his  neglect  of  me  and  my 
mother,  and  of  his  supposed  unfair  conduct  toward  my 
father,  and  had  taken  a  violent  dislike  to  him  ;  his  ad- 
vances toward  me  were  therefore  very  coolly  received. 
I  felt  glad  that  I  had  saved  him ;  but  although  I  could 
not  exactly  understand  my  own  feelings  at  the  time, 
I  am  ashamed  to  say  that  my  pleasure  was  not  derived 
from  having  done  a  good  action,  so  much  as  indulging 
a  feeling  of  revenge  in  having  put  one  under  an  obli- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  185 

gallon  who  had  treated  me  ill ;  this  arose  from  my 
proud  spirit,  which  my  mother  could  not  check.  So, 
you  see,  Master  William,  there  was  very  little  merit  in 
what  I  had  done,  as,  after  I  had  done  it,  I  indulged 
those  feelings  which  I  ought  to  have  checked." 

"  I  think  I  could  not  have  helped  feeling  the  same, 
Ready,  under  such  circumstances,"  replied  William. 

"  If  I  had  felt  it  in  a  true  Christian  spirit,  Master 
William,  it  would  have  been  different.  Returning 
good  for  evil  is  the  great  duty  of  a  Christian,  and  had 
I  saved  Mr.  Masterman,  knowing  that  I  was  saving 
him  with  that  feeling  in  my  heart,  it  had  been  praise- 
worthy ;  but  I  did  not  know  that  it  was  he  when  I 
saved  him ;  and  the  question  is,  had  I  known  who  it 
was  that  was  struggling  in  the  water,  should  I  have 
risked  my  life  for  him  ?  or  if  I  had  done  so,  would  it 
not  have  been  with  the  same  feeling  which  I  indulged 
in  after  having  saved  him — a  feeling  that  I  had  re- 
venged myself  on  him  for  his  conduct,  for  there  is  no 
revenge  greater  than  in  putting  an  enemy  under  an 
obligation  ?" 

"  You  analyze  yourself  very  minutely,  Ready,"  said 
Mr.  Seagrave,  "  and  I  think  hardly  do  justice  to  your- 
self." 

"  The  heart  is  deceitful  and  desperately  wicked,  sir," 
replied  Ready.  "  The  impulse  which  induced  me  to 
act  was  good ;  the  feeling  which  I  indulged  in  after- 
ward took  away  the  whole  merit  of  the  deed.  I  am 
stating  what  I  believe  to  be  the  truth,  sir ;  and  an  old 
man  like  me  can  look  upon  the  past  without  bias,  but 
not  without  regret ;  well,  sir,  to  go  on  with  my  story. 
Mr.  Masterman  made  but  a  short  visit ;  he  told  my 
mother  that  he  would  now  take  care  of  me,  and  bring 


186  MASTERMAN  READY. 

me  up  to  the  business  of  a  shipbuilder  as  soon  as  I  was 
old  enough  to  leave  school,  and  that  in  the  meantime 
he  would  pay  all  my  expenses.  My  poor  mother  was 
very  grateful,  and  shed  tears  of  joy ;  and  when  Mr. 
Masterman  went  away  she  embraced  me,  and  said 
that  now  she  was  happy,  as  I  should  have  a  profession 
on  shore  and  not  go  to  sea.  I  must  do  justice  to  Mr. 
Masterman ;  he  kept  his  word,  and  sent  money  to  my 
mother,  so  that  she  became  quite  cheerful  and  com- 
fortable, and  every  one  congratulated  her,  and  she 
used  to  fondle  me,  and  say  it  was  all  through  me  that 
she  was  relieved  from  her  distress." 

"How  happy  that  must  have  made  you,  Ready," 
said  "William. 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  did,  but  it  made  me  also  very  proud ; 
strange  to  say,  I  could  not  conquer  my  dislike  to  Mr. 
Masterman ;  I  had  nourished  the  feeling  too  long.  I 
could  not  bear  that  my  mother  should  be  under 
obligations  to  him,  or  that  he  should  pay  for  my 
schooling ;  it  hurt  my  foolish  pride,  young  as  I  then 
was  ;  and  although  my  mother  was  happy,  I  was  not. 
Besides,  as  I  was  put  to  a  better  school  and  was 
obliged  to  remain  with  the  other  boys  I  could  no 
longer  run  about  the  wharves,  or  go  on  board  the 
vessels  as  before ;  and  thus  I  was  deprived  of  all  my 
former  enjoyments.  I  did  not  see  then  as  I  do  now 
that  it  was  all  for  my  good ;  but  I  became  discon- 
tented and  unhappy,  merely  because  I  was  obliged  to 
pay  attention  to  my  learning,  and  could  no  longer  have 
my  own  way.  The  master  complained  of  me ;  and 
Mr.  Masterman  called,  and  scolded  me  well.  I  became 
more  disobedient,  and  then,  by  Mr.  Masterman's  desire, 
I  was  punished.  This  irritated  me  against  him,  and  I 


MASTERMA N  BEAD  T.  187 

made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  run  away  and  go  to 
sea.  You  see,  Master  William,  I  was  all  in  the  wrong ; 
and  so  will  all  boys  be  who  are  proud,  and  think  they 
know  better  than  those  who  have  charge  of  them  ;  and 
now  only  see,  Master  William,  what  I  probably  lost 
by  my  foolish  conduct.  I  say  probably,  for  no  one  can 
calculate  or  foresee  what  is  to  take  place ;  but,  as  far 
as  appearances  went,  I  had  every  prospect  of  receiving 
a  good  education — of  succeeding  Mr.  Masterman  in  his 
business,  and,  very  probably,  of  inheriting  his  large 
fortune ;  so  that  I  might  have  been  at  this  time  a  rich 
and  well-educated  man,  surrounded  with  all  r,he  com- 
forts and  luxuries  of  life ;  perhaps,  with  an  amiable 
wife  and  large  family  round  me,  to  make  me  still 
happier,  instead  of  being  what  I  now  am,  a  poor, 
worn-out  old  seaman  upon  a  desert  isle.  I  point  this 
out  to  you,  Master  William,  to  show  how  one  false  and 
foolish  step  in  the  young  may  affect  their  whole 
prospects  in  life ;  and  instead  of  enabling  them  to  sail 
down  with  the  stream  of  prosperity,  may  leave  them 
to  struggle  against  the  current  of  adversity,  as  has 
been  the  case  with  me." 

"  It  is,  indeed,  a  good  lesson,  Eeady,"  said  Mr.  Sea- 
grave. 

"  It  is ;  not  that  I  repine  at  my  lot,  even  while  I 
regret  the  errors  that  led  to  it.  I  am  not  discontented 
with  my  position,  for  that  were  sinful.  An  all- wise 
and  gracious  God  disposes  of  us  as  He  thinks  best ; 
and  I  can  now  say  with  perfect  sincerity,  '  Thy  will, 
not  mine,  be  done.' " 

"  Your  misfortunes  have,  however,  proved  an  incal- 
culable benefit  to  us,  Ready,"  observed  Mrs.  Seagrave ; 
"  for  had  you  not  gone  to  sea,  and  been  on  board  the 


188  MA8TERMAN  READY. 

ship  when  the  crew  deserted  us,  what  would  have  be- 
come of  us  ?" 

"  Well,  madam,  it  is  some  comfort  to  think  that  a 
worn-out  old  seaman  like  myself  has  been  of  some  use. 
Perhaps,  madam,  as  it  is  our  usual  time  to  go  to  bed,  I 
had  better  leave  off  now,  and  tell  some  more  of  my 
history  to-morrow  evening." 

"  If  you  please,  Ready,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  Will- 
iam, my  dear,  bring  the  Bible." 

As  soon  as  the  evening  prayers  were  finished  the 
screens  were  put  up,  and  they  were  soon  all  in  bed  and 
fast  asleep. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  189 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

OLD   READY  CONTINUES    HIS   STORY. 

THE  bleating  of  the  kids  woke  them  the  next  morn- 
ing earlier  than  usual.  The  weather  was  again  fine, 
and  the  sun  shining  brightly,  and  Beady  turned  out 
Nanny  and  her  progeny.  They  had  an  excellent 
breakfast  of  fried  fish,  and  then  Mr.  Seagrave,  Heady, 
and  William  went  out  to  their  work ;  the  two  first 
took  down  the  tents,  and  spread  the  canvas  on  the 
ground,  that  it  might  be  well  dried,  while  William 
went  in  pursuit  of  the  fowls,  which  had  not  been  seen 
for  a  day  or  two.  After  half  an  hour's  search  in  the 
cocoanut  grove  he  heard  the  cock  crow,  and  soon 
afterward  found  them  all.  He  threw  them  some  split 
peas,  which  he  had  brought  with  him,  for  the  barley 
and  wheat  they  had  resolved  to  save,  that  they  might 
sow  them  as  soon  as  they  had  more  ground  cleared  ; 
and  then,  if  flour  should  run  short,  they  had  several 
casks  of  it  on  the  other  side  of  the  island,  which  they 
had  saved  when  the  ship  had  been  broken  up,  and 
were  therefore  in  no  immediate  want.  The  fowls, 
which  were  hungry  enough,  followed  William  home  to 
the  house,  where  he  left  them  and  went  to  join  Ready 
and  his  father. 

"  Then,  Master  William,  I  think,  now  that  we  have 
spread  out  the  tents,  we  will,  if  Mr.  Seagrave  approves 


190  MASTERMAN  READY. 

of  it,  all  set  to  at  once  and  knock  up  a  f  OAvl-house  ;  it 
won't  be  more  than  a  day's  job,  and  then  the  creatures 
will  have  a  home.  There  are  four  very  thick  cocoanut- 
trees  close  to  the  house  ;  we  will  build  it  under  them ; 
it  will  be  a  good  job  over."  Mr.  Seagrave  assented, 
and  they  set  immediately  to  work.  There  were  many 
thin  poles  left,  the  tops  of  the  cocoanut-trees  which 
had  been  cut  down  to  build  the  house;  these  they 
nailed  to  the  trunks  of  the  four  trees,  so  as  to  make  a 
square,  and  then  they  ran  up  rafters  for  a  pitched  roof. 

"  Now,  sir,  this  is  only  rough  work ;  we  will  first  put 
up  a  perch  or  two  for  them,  and  then  close  in  the  side, 
and  thatch  the  roof  with  cocoanut  branches ;  but  there's 
Juno  taking  in  the  dinner,  so  we'll  finish  it  afterward." 

After  their  meal  the  work  was  renewed  ;  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  collected  the  branches  while  "William  and  Ready 
worked  upon  the  sides  and  roof,  and  before  the  even- 
ing closed  in  the  fowl-house  was  complete.  William 
enticed  the  fowls  down  to  it  with  some  more  split 
peas,  and  then  walked  away. 

"  Now,  sir,  the  creatures  will  soon  find  their  way  in  ; 
and  by  and  by,  when  I  have  time,  I'll  make  a  door  to 
the  entrance.  I  think  Miss  Caroline  might  be  put  into 
authority  here  and  take  care  of  the  fowls  and  chickens 
when  they  come." 

"  Yes,  that  shall  be  her  charge,"  said  "William ; 
"  she'll  be  delighted  when  she  hears  that  she's  to  be 
mistress  of  the  henroosts.  And  now  I  think  we  had 
better  roll  up  the  canvas  of  the  tents  ;  we  have  had  a 
splendid  day,  and  may  not  be  so  fortunate  to-morrow." 

"  Very  true,  sir  ;  we  will  get  them  housed,  and  stow 
them  away  under  the  bed-places ;  there  is  plenty  of 
room."  By  the  time  that  they  had  folded  up  the  can- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  191 

vas,  and  William  had  brought  in  Nanny  and  the  kids, 
the  sun  had  set,  and  they  went  into  the  house.  Ready 
was  requested  to  go  on  with  his  history,  which  he  did 
as  follows : 

"  I  said  last  night  that  I  determined  to  run  away 
from  school,  and  go  to  sea ;  but  I  did  not  tell  you  how 
I  managed  it.  I  had  no  chance  of  getting  out  of  the 
school  unperceived,  except  after  the  boys  were  all  put 
to  bed.  The  room  that  I  slept  in  was  at  the  top  of  the 
house — the  doors  I  knew  were  all  locked ;  but  there 
was  a  trapdoor  which  led  out  on  the  roof,  fastened  by 
a  bolt  inside,  and  a  ladder  leading  up  to  it ;  and  I  de- 
termined that  I  would  make  my  escape  by  that  way. 
As  soon  as  all  the  other  boys  were  fast  asleep,  I  arose 
and  dressed  myself  very  quietly,  and  then  left  the 
room. 

"  The  moon  shone  bright,  which  was  lucky  for  me, 
and  I  gained  the  trapdoor  without  any  noise.  I  had 
some  difficulty  in  forcing  it  up,  as  it  was  heavy  for  a 
boy  of  my  age  ;  but  I  contrived  to  do  so  at  last,  and 
gained  the  roof  of  the  house.  I  looked  round  as  I  stood 
in  the  gutter — there  were  the  ships  in  the  port,  and 
the  sea  in  the  distance,  and  I  felt  as  if  I  was  already 
free ;  I  forgot  that  I  had  to  get  down  to  the  ground. 
At  last  I  began  looking  about  me,  to  see  how  it  was  to 
be  done,  and  after  walking  to  and  fro  several  times  I 
decided  that  I  could  slip  down  by  a  large  water-pipe 
which  went  right  down  to  the  ground  ;  it  was  so  far 
detached  from  the  bricks  that  I  could  get  my  small 
fingers  round  it ;  and  I  was  then  as  light  as  a  feather, 
and  active  as  a  cat.  I  climbed  over  the  parapet,  and, 
clinging  to  the  pipe  firmly  with  my  hands  and  knees, 
I  slid  down,  and  arrived  at  the  bottom  in  safety." 


192  MASTERMAN  READ7. 

"  It's  a  wonder  you  did  not  break  your  neck,  Beady," 
observed  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  It  was,  indeed,  ma'am ;  I  often  think  of  it  now — 
but  I  thought  of  nothing  then  except  my  own  willful 
way.  As  soon  as  I  was  landed  in  the  flower-bed,  which 
was  below,  I  hastened  to  the  iron  gates  at  the  entrance, 
and  soon  climbed  up  and  got  to  the  other  side  into  the 
road.  I  had  no  hat,  for  all  our  hats  were  hung  on 
pegs  in  the  schoolroom  below ;  but  I  didn't  care  for 
that.  I  started  as  fast  as  I  could  toward  the  port,  and 
when  I  arrived  at  the  wharf  I  perceived  that  a  vessel 
had  her  topsails  loose,  and  meant  to  take  advantage  of 
the  ebbtide  which  had  just  made ;  the  men  were  sing- 
ing, '  Yo  heave  yo,'  getting  the  anchor  up ;  and  as  I 
stood  watching,  almost  making  up  my  mind  that  I 
would  swim  off  to  her,  I  perceived  that  a  man  pushed 
off  in  her  jolly-boat,  and  was  sculling  to  a  post  a  little 
higher  up,  where  a  hawser  had  been  made  fast ;  I  ran 
round,  and  arrived  there  before  he  had  cast  off  the 
rope ;  without  saying  a  word,  I  jumped  into  the  boat. 

"  '  What  do  you  want,  youngster  ?'  said  the  seaman. 

" '  I  want  to  go  to  sea,'  said  I,  breathless  ;  '  take  me 
on  board — pray  do.' 

"  '  Well,'  said  he,  '  I  heard  the  captain  say  he  wanted 
an  apprentice,  and  so  you  may  come.' 

"  He  sculled  the  boat  back  again  to  the  vessel,  and  I 
climbed  up  her  side. 

"  '  Who  are  you  ?'  said  the  captain. 

"  I  told  him  the  same  story,  that  I  wanted  to  go  to 
sea. 

" '  You  are  too  little  and  too  young.' 

"  '  No,  I  am  not,'  replied  I. 

"  *  Why,  do  you  think  that  you  dare  go  aloft  ?' 


MASTERMAN  READY.  193 

" '  I'll  show  you,'  replied  I ;  and  I  ran  up  the  rig- 
ging like  a  cat,  and  went  out  at  the  top-gallant  yard 
arm. 

"  "When  I  came  down  the  captain  said,  '  Well,  I 
think  you'll  make  a  sharp  seaman  by  and  by ;  so  I'll 
take  you,  and,  as  soon  as  I  get  to  London,  I'll  bind  you 
apprentice.  "Where's  your  hat  ?' 

"  '  I  left  it  behind  me,'  replied  I. 

" '  Never  mind ;  a  red  nightcap  is  a  better  thing,' 
said  the  captain  ;  and  he  went  down  to  the  cabin,  and 
brought  me  one  up. 

"  The  ship,  which  was  a  collier,  was  soon  out  of  port, 
and  before  the  day  had  dawned  I  found  myself  on  the 
wide  ocean,  which  was  hereafter  to  be  my  home. 

"  As  soon  as  the  hurry  and  confusion  were  over,  I 
was  examined  by  the  captain,  who  appeared  to  me  to 
be  a  very  rough,  harsh  man ;  indeed,  before  the  day 
was  over  I  almost  repented  of  the  step  which  I  had 
taken,  and  when  I  sat  down  cold  and  wet  upon  some 
old  sails  at  night,  the  thoughts  of  my  mother,  and  what 
distress  I  should  occasion  her,  for  the  first  time  rushed 
into  my  mind,  and  I  wept  bitterly ;  but  it  was  too  late 
then.  I  have  often  thought,  Mr.  Seagrave,  that  the 
life  of  hardship  which  I  have  since  gone  through 
has  been  a  judgment  on  me  for  my  cruelty  to  my 
mother,  in  leaving  her  the  way  I  did.  I  was  her  only 
child,  poor  woman  ;  she  had  nothing  else  to  love  but 
me,  and  it  broke  her  heart — a  poor  return,  Master 
William,  for  all  her  care  and  kindness  !  God  forgive 
me!" 

Old  Keady  left  off  for  some  little  time,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  party  kept  silence.  William,  who 


194  MASTERMAN  READY. 

sat  next  to  his  mother,  turned  round  to  her  and  kissed 
her. 

"  I  like  to  see  you  do  that,  Master  William,"  said 
Ready ;  "  it  tells  me  that  my  story  is  not  thrown  away 
upon  you,  and  I  look  upon  that  kiss  as  a  seal  that 
you'll  never  desert  your  parent."  The  tears  trickled 
down  Mrs.  Seagrave's  cheek,  as  she  returned  her  boy's 
embrace. 

"  I'll  leave  off  now,  if  you  please,"  said  Ready  ;  "  I 
don't  feel  inclined  to  go  on ;  my  heart  is  full  when  I 
recall  that  foolish  and  wicked  deed  of  mine.  Mr. 
Seagrave,"  continued  Ready,  "  as  it  is  bedtime,  if  you 
please,  I'll  hand  you  the  Bible.  Oblige  me  by  reading 
that  part,  '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  Oh,  sir,  what 
comfort  there  is  in  that  book  !" 

Mr.  Seagrave  read  the  chapter  that  Ready  requested, 
and  finished  with  a  short  prayer,  after  which  they  all 
retired  to  their  beds. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  195 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

WHEKE   TOMMY  PUT  THE   THIMBLE. 

THE  next  morning  was  fine,  and  as  soon  as  breakfast 
was  over  they  took  the  wheels  down  to  the  turtle-pond, 
and  Ready  having  speared  one  of  the  largest  by  means 
of  a  pike  with  a  barb  to  it,  which  he  had  made  on 
purpose,  they  hauled  it  on  shore,  slung  it  under  the 
wheels,  and  took  it  up  to  the  house.  Having  killed 
the  turtle  and  cut  it  up,  Juno,  under  the  directions  of 
Ready,  chose  such  portions  as  were  required  for  the 
soup ;  and  when  the  pot  was  on  the  fire  Ready,  Mr. 
Seagrave  and  William  set  off  with  the  crosscut  saw 
and  hatchets,  to  commence  felling  the  cocoanut-trees 
for  the  building  of  the  outhouse,  which  was  to  hold 
their  stores,  as  soon  as  they  could  be  brought  round 
from  the  other  side  of  the  island. 

"  I  mean  this  to  be  our  place  of  refuge  in  case  of 
danger,  sir,"  observed  Ready  ;  "  and  therefore  I  have 
selected  this  thick  part  of  the  wood,  as  it  is  not  very 
far  from  the  house,  and  by  cutting  the  path  to  it  in  a 
zigzag,  it  will  be  quite  hidden  from  sight ;  and  we 
must  make  the  path  just  wide  enough  to  allow  the 
wheels  to  pass,  and  stump  up  the  roots  of  the  trees 
which  we  are  obliged  to  cut  down,  otherwise  the 
stumps  would  attract  attention.  Not  that  I  think  we 
shall  ever  want  it ;  but  still  it  is  a  precaution  which 


196  MASTERMAN  READY. 

we  may  as  well  take,  as  it  will  not  give  us  a  great  deal 
of  extra  labor." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Ready,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
*'  there  is  no  saying  what  may  happen." 

"You  see,  sir,  between  ourselves,  it  is  often  the 
custom  for  the  natives,  in  this  part  of  the  world,  to 
come  in  their  canoes  from  one  island  to  another,  merely 
to  get  cocoanuts.  I  can't  say  that  the  other  islands 
near  us  are  inhabited,  but  still  it  is  probable,  and  we 
cannot  tell  what  the  character  of  the  people  may  be. 
I  tell  you  this,  but  you  had  better  not  say  a  word  to 
Mrs.  Seagrave,  as  it  may  distress  her ;  Master  AVilliam, 
you  will  not,  I  am  sure." 

"  Oh,  no ;  I  would  not  say  anything  to  alarm  my 
mother,  depend  upon  it,  Ready." 

"  We  are  now  near  the  spot,  sir.  You  see,  when  we 
have  got  over  this  hill,  where  the  trees  are  so  very 
thick,  the  fall  in  the  ground  will  assist  in  the  conceal- 
ment of  the  building.  I  should  say  we  are  very  near 
right  where  we  now  stand,  sir,  for  we  are  two-thirds 
of  the  way  down  the  hollow,  and  we  have  more  than 
sufficient  slope  to  drain  off  the  water." 

"  How  far  are  we  now  from  the  house,  Ready  ?  We 
must  not  be  too  distant." 

"  I  reckon  we  are  not  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  in  a 
straight  line,  although  the  road  will,  by  its  turning, 
make  it  double  the  distance."  • 

"  Then  I  think  this  spot  will  do  very  well ;  so  the 
sooner  we  begin  the  better." 

"I'll  just  mark  out  the  trees  which  are  to  stand, 
Mr.  Seagrave,  and  those  which  are  to  be  cut  down,  so 
as  to  leave  about  four  feet  of  stump  standing.  Master 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  197 

William,  will  you  please  to  take  the  other  end  of  the 
line?" 

As  soon  as  they  had  planned  the  building,  the  axes 
and  saw  were  in  full  use,  and  tree  after  tree  fell  one 
upon  the  other.  They  worked  hard  till  dinner-time, 
and  were  not  sorry  at  the  prospect  of  sitting  down  to 
a  rich  mess  of  turtle-soup. 

"  My  dear  William,  and  you  too,  Mr.  Seagrave,  how 
very  warm  you  are,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  "  you  must 
not  work  so  hard." 

"  Cutting  down  trees  is  very  warm  work,  mother," 
replied  William,  "  and  hard  work  will  never  hurt  any 
one,  especially  when  he  dines  off  turtle-soup ;  we  are 
very  hungry,  and  shall  do  justice  to  Juno's  cooking. 
Why,  Tommy,  what's  the  matter  with  you  ?" 

"  Tommy  and  I  are  at  variance,"  replied  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave.  "I  had  my  thimble  this  morning,  and  had 
commenced  my  sewing,  when  I  was  called  out  by  Juno, 
and  Caroline  went  with  me,  and  Tommy  was  left  in 
the  house.  When  I  came  back  I  found  him  outside, 
and  on  going  back  to  my  work  there  was  no  thimble 
to  be  found ;  I  asked  him  if  he  had  touched  it,  and  his 
answer  was  that  he  would  look  for  it.  He  did  look, 
and  said  he  could  not  find  it ;  I  have  asked  him  several 
times  if  he  took  it  away,  and  his  only  answer  is  that 
he  will  find  it  by  and  by.  I  am  certain  he  has  taken 
it,  but  he  will  not  say  if  he  has  or  has  not.  The 
consequence  is  that  I  have  done  no  work  the.  whole 
morning." 

"  Tommy,  did  you  take  the  thimble  ?"  said  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  gravely. 

"  I'll  find  it  by  and  by,  papa." 


198  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  That's  not  an  answer,  sir.  Did  you  take  the  thim- 
ble ?" 

"  I'll  find  it  by  and  by,  papa,"  said  Tommy,  whim- 
pering. 

"  That's  all  the  answer  he  will  give  me,"  said  Mrs. 
Seagrave. 

"  Well,  then,  he  shall  have  no  dinner  till  the  thimble 
makes  its  appearance,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

Master  Tommy  began  to  cry  at  this  intelligence. 
Juno  appeared  with  the  turtle  soup,  the  smell  of  which 
was  very  savory ;  and  Tommy  cried  louder  when  they 
had  said  grace  and  commenced  their  dinner.  They 
were  all  very  hungry,  and  William  sent  his  plate  for 
another  portion,  which  he  had  not  commenced  long 
before  he  put  his  finger  in  his  mouth  and  pulled  out 
something. 

"  Why,  mother,  here's  the  thimble  in  my  soup,"  cried 
William ;  "  I  had  very  nearly  swallowed  it." 

"  No  wonder  he  said  he  would  find  it  by  and  by," 
said  Ready,  smiling ;  "  he  meant  to  have  fished  it  up, 
I  suppose,  from  what  was  left  of  the  soup  after  dinner. 
Well,  Mrs.  Seagrave,  I  don't  mean  to  say  that  Tommy 
is  a  good  boy,  but  still,  although  he  would  not  tell 
where  the  thimble  was,  he  has  not  told  a  falsehood 
about  it." 

"  No,  he  has  not,"  replied  William.  "  I  think  now 
that  the  thimble  is  found,  if  he  begs  pardon,  papa  will 
forgive  him." 

"  Tommy,  come  here,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  tell  me 
why  you  put  that  thimble  into  the  soup." 

"  I  wanted  to  taste  the  soup.  I  wanted  to  fill  the 
thimble ;  the  soup  burned  my  fingers,  and  I  let  the 
thimble  drop  in." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  199 

"  Well,  a  thimbleful  wasn't  much,  at  all  events,"  ob- 
served Ready.  "And  why  didn't  you  tell  your  mamma 
where  the  thimble  was  ?" 

"  I  was  afraid  mamma  throw  all  the  soup  away,  and 
then  I  get  none  for  dinner." 

"Oh!  that  was  it,  was  it?  "Well,  sir,  I  said  you 
should  have  no  dinner  till  the  thimble  was  found,  so, 
as  it  is  found,  you  may  have  your  dinner ;  but  if  you 
ever  refuse  to  answer  a  question  again  I  shall  punish 
you  more  severely." 

Tommy  was  glad  the  lecture  was  over,  and  more 
glad  to  get  his  turtle-soup ;  he  finished  one  plate,  and 
as  he  asked  for  another,  he  said :  "  Tommy  won't  put 
thimble  in  again ;  put  tin  pot  in  next  time." 

"Massa  Tommy,  you  put  nothing  in  at  all,"  said 
Juno,  who  was  eating  her  dinner  beside  him ;  "  some 
day  you  scald  yourself  all  over — little  greedy  boy  !" 

After  dinner  they  went  to  their  work  again,  and  did 
not  come  in  till  sunset. 

"The  clouds  are  gathering  fast,  sir,"  observed 
Ready  ;  "  we  shall  have  rain  to-night." 

"I  fear  we  shall;  but  we  must  expect  it  now, 
Ready." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  by  and  by  we  shall  have  it  for  days 
together." 

"  Ready,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  if  you  are  not  too 
much  tired,  perhaps  you  will  go  on  with  your  history." 

"  Certainly,  ma'am,  if  you  wish  it,"  replied  Ready. 
"  When  I  left  off  I  was  on  board  of  the  collier,  bound 
to  London.  We  had  a  very  fair  wind  and  a  quick 
passage.  I  was  very  sick  until  we  arrived  in  the  Nore, 
and  then  I  recovered,  and,  as  you  may  suppose,  was 
astonished  at  the  busy  scene,  and  the  quantity  of  ves- 


200  MASTERMAN  READY. 

sels  which  were  going  up  and  down  the  river.  But  1 
did  not  like  my  captain ;  he  was  very  severe  and  brutal 
to  the  men ;  and  the  apprentice  who  was  on  board  told 
me  to  run  away  and  get  into  another  vessel,  and  not 
to  bind  myself  apprentice  to  this  captain,  or  I  should 
be  beat  all  day  long,  and  be  treated  as  bad  as  he  was, 
I  knew  this  was  the  case,  as  the  captain  kicked  and 
cuffed  him  twenty  times  a  day.  The  men  said  that  he 
did  not  do  so  to  me,  for  fear  I  should  refuse  to  be  his 
apprentice ;  but  that,  as  soon  as  my  indentures  were 
signed,  he  would  treat  me  in  the  same  way." 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  indentures,  papa  ?"  said 
William. 

"  When  a  lad  wishes  to  learn  a  trade,  William,  of 
course  it  is  necessary  that  he  should  be  taught;  and  if 
a  lad,  as  soon  as  he  had  learned  his  trade,  was  able  to 
leave  the  person  who  taught  him,  and  work  for  an- 
other, of  course  no  tradesman  Avould  consent  to  take  a 
boy  and  teach  him,  as  he  would  have  all  his  trouble 
for  nothing.  During  the  first  two  years  that  a  lad  is 
put  to  a  trade,  of  course  he  is  of  little  or  no  use  to  his 
master ;  an  indenture,  therefore,  is  an  agreement  be- 
tween the  tradesman,  or  party  who  teaches,  and  the 
parents  of  the  lad,  the  parish,  or  a  magistrate,  by 
which  he  is  bound  to  serve  his  master  so  many  years  ; 
that,  by  the  work  he  does  at  the  latter  time  of  his  ap- 
prenticeship, he  may  indemnify  his  master  for  the  ex- 
pense and  trouble  he  causes  at  the  commencement.  In 
an  indenture  the  master  agrees  to  supply  the  appren- 
tice with  food  and  clothing,  and  necessaries  during  his 
whole  apprenticeship  ;  and  the  lad  agrees  to  work  for 
his  master's  benefit  for  the  whole  number  of  years  that 
he  is  apprenticed ;  after  he  has  served  his  apprentice- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  201 

ship,  he  is  then  free  to  work  for  himself.  Boys  who 
are  sent  to  sea  are  bound  apprentices  in  the  same  way 
as  boys  who  are  taught  a  trade  on  shore." 

"  Thank  you,  papa,"  replied  "William.  "  ISTow,  Ready, 
please  to  go  on." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  not  re- 
main in  the  collier ;  and  as  the  captain  had  gone  on 
shore  I  had  plenty  of  time  to  look  about  me.  There 
was  a  large  ship  which  was  ready  to  sail,  lying  in  the 
stream  ;  I  spoke  to  two  boys  who  were  at  the  stairs  in 
her  boat,  and  they  told  me  that  they  were  very  com- 
fortable on  board,  and  that  the  captain  wanted  two  or 
three  apprentices.  I  went  on  board  with  them,  and 
offered  myself.  The  captain  asked  me  a  great  many 
questions,  and  I  told  him  the  truth,  and  why  I  did  not 
like  to  remain  in  the  collier.  He  agreed  to  take  me ; 
and  I  went  on  shore  with  him,  signed  my  indentures, 
and  received  from  him  a  sufficient  supply  of  clothes  ; 
and,  two  days  afterward,  we  sailed  for  Bombay  and 
China." 

"  But  you  wrote  to  your  mother,  Keady,  did  you 
not  ?"  said  William. 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  did  ;  for  the  captain  desired  me  to  do 
so,  and  he  put  a  few  lines  at  the  bottom  to  comfort 
her  ;  but  unfortunately,  sir,  the  letter,  which  was  sent 
on  shore  by  the  cook,  never  arrived.  Whether  he 
dropped  it  or  forgot  it  till  after  the  ship  sailed,  and 
then  tore  it  up,  I  do  not  know ;  but,  as  I  found  out 
afterward,  it  never  did  get  to  her  hands." 

"  It  was  not  your  fault  that  the  letter  did  not  arrive 
safe,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  No,  madam,  that  was  not  my  fault ;  the  fault  had 
been  committed  before." 


202  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Don't  dwell  any  more  upon  that  portion  of  your 
history,  Eeady ;  but  tell  us  what  took  place  after  you 
sailed  for  the  East  Indies." 

"  Be  it  so,  if  you  please.  I  certainly  was  very  smart 
and  active  for  my  age,  and  soon  became  a  great  favor- 
ite on  board,  especially  with  the  lady  passengers,  be- 
cause I  was  such  a  little  fellow.  We  arrived  safely  at 
Bombay,  where  our  passengers  went  on  shore,  and  in 
three  weeks  afterward  we  sailed  down  the  straits  for 
China.  It  was  war  time,  and  we  were  very  often 
chased  by  French  privateers ;  but  as  we  had  a  good 
crew  and  plenty  of  guns,  none  of  them  ventured  to  at- 
tack us,  and  we  got  safe  to  Macao,  where  we  unloaded 
our  cargo  and  took  in  teas.  We  had  to  wait  some  time 
for  a  convoy,  and  then  sailed  for  England.  When  we 
were  off  the  Isle  of  France,  the  convoy  was  dispersed 
in  a  gale  ;  and  three  days  afterward  a  French  frigate 
bore  down  upon  us,  and  after  exchanging  a  few  broad- 
sides, we  were  compelled  to  haul  down  our  colors.  A 
lieutenant  was  sent  on  board  with  forty  men,  to  take 
charge  of  us,  for  we  were  a  very  rich  prize  to  them. 
The  captain  and  most  of  the  crew  were  taken  on  board 
of  the  frigate,  but  ten  Lascars  and  the  boys  were  left 
in  the  Indiaman,  to  assist  in  taking  her  into  the  Isle  of 
France,  which  was  at  that  time  in  the  hands  of  the 
French.  I  thought  it  hard  that  I  was  to  go  to  prison 
at  twelve  years  old ;  but  I  did  not  care  much  about  it, 
and  very  soon  I  was  as  gay  and  merry  as  ever.  We 
had  made  the  island,  and  were  on  a  wind,  beating  up 
to  the  port,  when  a  vessel  was  seen  to  windward,  and 
although  I  could  not  understand  what  the  Frenchmen 
said,  I  perceived  that  they  were  in  a  great  fluster  and 
very  busy  with  their  spyglasses,  and  Jack  Homer,  one 


MASTERMAN  READY.  203 

of  my  brother-'prentices,  who  had  been  three  years  at 
sea,  said  to  me,  '  I  don't  think  we'll  go  to  prison,  after 
all,  Keady,  for  that  vessel  is  an  English  man-of-war,  if 
I'm  not  mistaken.'  At  last  she  came  down  within 
three  miles  of  us,  and  hoisted  English  colors,  and  fired 
a  gun.  The  Frenchmen  put  the  ship  before  the  wind, 
but  it  was  of  no  use ;  tjie  man-of-war  came  up  with  us 
very  fast,  and  then  the  Frenchmen  began  to  pack  up 
their  clothes,  together  with  all  the  other  things  which 
they  had  collected  out  of  the  property  of  our  captain 
and  crew ;  a  shot  was  fired,  which  went  clean  over  our 
heads,  and  then  they  left  the  helm,  and  Jack  Eomer 
went  to  it,  and,  with  my  help,  hove  the  ship  up  in  the 
wind ;  a  boat  came  on  board  and  took  possession,  and 
so  there  was  one  escape  at  all  events.  When  the  cap- 
tain of  the  English  frigate  heard  how  the  Frenchmen 
had  behaved  he  ordered  all  their  baggage  to  be  ex- 
amined as  they  came  on  board,  taking  away  every- 
thing which  they  had  plundered." 

"It  would  have  served  them  right  to  have  taken 
away  their  own  things  in  return,"  said  William. 

"  Yes,  Master  William,  it  would  have  served  them 
right;  but  still  it  would  have  been  wrong  to  have 
done  so ;  by  so  doing  we  should  have  been  as  dis- 
honest as  they  were.  The  captain  did  not  take  away 
their  property,  but  he  put  them  all  down  in  the  fore- 
hold,  which,  as  prisoners,  he  was  justified  in  doing. 
They  sent  a  midshipman  as  prize-master  on  board  of 
the  vessel,  and  left  all  us,  who  had  been  taken  pris- 
oners by  the  French,  in  the  vessel,  to  help  to  work  her 
into  port,  as  the  captain  did  not  wish  to  part  with  any 
more  men  of  his  own  than  was  necessary.  We  soon 
made  sail  for  England,  quite  delighted  at  having 


204:  MASTERMAN  READY. 

escaped  a  French  prison ;  but,  after  all,  we  only  ex- 
changed it  for  a  Dutch  one." 

"  How  do  you  mean?" 

"  I  mean  that  two  days  afterward,  as  we  were  round- 
ing the  Cape,  another  French  vessel  bore  down  upon 
us,  and  captured  us.  This  time  we  did  not  find  any 
friend  in  need,  and  were  taken  into  Table  Bay ;  for  at 
that  time  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  was  in  the  possession 
of  the  Dutch,  who,  as  well  as  the  French,  were  at  war 
with  England." 

"How  very  unfortunate  you  were,  Ready,"  said 
Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  madam,  we  were,  and  I  can't  say  much  in 
favor  of  a  Dutch  prison.  However,  I  was  very  young 
at  that  time,  and  did  not  care  much — I  had  a  light 
heart.  But  bedtime  is  come;  Miss  Caroline  is  fast 
asleep,  and  Master  Tommy  has  been  yawning  this  last 
half-hour ;  so  I  think  I  had  better  leave  off  now,  if  you 
please." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  205 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE   BOYS   AND   THE   BABOONS. 

A  HEAVY  storm  came  on  soon  after  they  had  retired 
to  rest ;  the  lightning  was  so  vivid  that  its  flashes  pen- 
etrated through  the  chinks  of  the  door  and  windows, 
and  the  thunder  burst  upon  them  with  a  noise  which 
prevented  them  obtaining  any  sleep.  The  children  cried 
and  trembled  as  they  lay  in  the  arms  of  Mrs.  Seagrave 
and  Juno,  who  were  almost  as  much  alarmed  them- 
selves. 

"  This  is  very  awful,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave  to  Ready, 
for  they  had  both  risen  from  their  beds. 

"It  is,  indeed,  sir;  I  never  knew  a  more  terrible 
storm  than  this.  I  often  fancy  that  the  lightning  and 
thunder  are  as  the  eye  and  voice  of  the  Eternal  in  His 
wrath." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  Ready ;  it  is  through  the  elements  that 
God  speaks  to  man,  and  that  we  feel  His  power. 
Merciful  Heaven !" 

As  Mr.  Seagrave  spoke  they  were  both  thrown  back 
half-stunned ;  a  crash  of  thunder  burst  over  the  house, 
which  shook  everything  in  it ;  a  sulphurous  smell  per- 
vaded the  building,  and  soon  afterward,  when  they 
recovered  their  feet,  they  perceived  that  the  house  was 
full  of  smoke,  and  they  heard  the  wailing  of  the  women 


206  MASTERMAN  READY. 

and  the  shrieks  of  the  children  in  the  bed-places  on  the 
other  side. 

"God  have  mercy  on  us!"  exclaimed  Ready,  who 
was  the  first  to  recover  himself,  and  who  now  attempted 
to  ascertain  the  injury  which  had  been  done ;  "  the 
lightning  has  struck  us,  and  I  fear  that  the  house  is  on 
fire  somewhere." 

"  My  wife — my  children  i"  exclaimed  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
"  are  they  all  safe  ?" 

"  Yes,  yes  !"  cried  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  all  safe ;  Tommy 
has  come  to  me,  but  where  is  Juno — Juno?" 

Juno  answered  not.  William  darted  to  the  other 
side  of  the  house,  and  found  Juno  lying  on  her  side, 
motionless. 

"  She  is  dead,  father,"  cried  William. 

"  Help  me  to  carry  her  out  of  the  house,  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,"  said  Keady,  who  had  lifted  up  the  poor  girl ; 
"she  may  be  only  stunned." 

They  carried  Juno  out  of  the  house,  and  laid  her  on 
the  ground  ;  the  rain  poured  down  in  torrents. 

Ready  left  them  for  a  minute,  to  ascertain  if  the 
house  was  on  fire ;  he  found  that  it  had  been  in  flames 
at  the  further  corner,  but  the  rain  had  extinguished  it. 
He  then  went  back  to  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William,  who 
were  with  Juno. 

"  I  will  attend  to  the  girl,  sir,"  said  Ready ;  "  go 
you  and  Master  William  into  the  house;  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  will  be  too  much  frightened,  if  she  is  left  alone 
at  such  an  awful  time.  See,  sir !  Juno  is  not  dead — 
her  chest  heaves — she  will  come  to  very  soon  ;  thank 
God  for  it — we  could  but  ill  spare  the  poor  girl." 

William  and  Mr.  Seagrave  returned  to  the  house ; 
they  found  Mrs.  Seagrave  fainting  with  anxiety  and 


MASTERMAN  READY.  207 

fear.  The  information  they  brought,  that  Juno  was 
not  killed  by  the  lightning,  did  much  to  restore  her. 
William  soothed  little  Albert,  and  Tommy  in  a  few 
minutes  was  fast  asleep  again  in  his  father's  arms.  The 
storm  now  'abated,  and  as  the  day  began  to  break, 
Eeady  appeared  with  Juno,  who  was  sufficiently  re- 
covered to  be  able  to  walk  in  with  his  support ;  she 
was  put  into  her  bed,  and  then  Keady  and  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  went  to  examine  if  further  mischief  had  been 
done.  The  lightning  had  come  in  at  the  further  end 
of  the  house,  at  the  part  where  the  fireplace  was  in- 
tended to  have  been  made ;  they  found  that  it  had 
melted  down  part  of  the  iron  kettle,  and,  what  was  a 
greater  loss,  that  black  Nanny,  the  goat,  was  killed — 
the  kids  were,  however,  unhurt. 

"  "We  have,  indeed,  been  most  mercifully  preserved," 
said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  thanks  be  to  God  for  all  His  goodness," 
replied  Ready.  "  I  thought  poor  Juno  was  gone." 

"  I  think  we  have  a  large  roll  of  copper  wire,  Ready  ; 
have  we  not  ?"  said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  I  was  just  thinking  of  it  myself  ;  we  will 
have  a  lightning  conductor  up  the  first  thing." 

"  No,  Ready  ;  we  will  return  our  thanks  to  God  for 
our  preservation  first,  and  use  our  human  precautions 
afterward." 

"  True,  sir,  we  are  bound  to  do  so ;  and  with  grateful 
hearts." 

It  was  now  broad  daylight.  Mrs.  Seagrave  dressed 
herself  and  the  children,  and  as  soon  as  she  was  ready 
Mr.  Seagrave  read  such  portions  of  the  Psalms  as  were 
appropriate,  and  they  earnestly  joined  in  a  prayer  of 
thankfulness  and  humility.  William  went  out  to 


208  MASTERM AN  READY. 

prepare  the  breakfast,  and  Ready  procured  the  coil  of 
copper  wire  from  those  stores  which  were  stowed 
under  the  bed-places.  This  he  unrolled  and  stretched 
it  out  straight,  and  then  went  for  the  ladder,  which 
was  at  the  outhouse  which  they  had  commenced  build- 
ing. As  soon  as  breakfast  was  over  Ready  and  Mr. 
Seagrave  went  out  again  to  fix  up  the  lightning  con- 
ductor, leaving  William  to  do  the  work  of  Juno,  who 
still  remained  fast  asleep  in  her  bed. 

"  I  think,  sir,"  said  Ready,  "  that  one  of  those  two 
trees,  which  are  close  together,  will  suit  the  best ;  they 
are  not  too  near  the  house,  and  yet  quite  near  enough 
for  the  wire  to  attract  the  lightning." 

"  Yes,  I  agree  with  you,  Ready ;  but  we  must  not 
leave  them  both  standing." 

"  No,  sir,  but  we  shall  require  them  both  to  get  up 
and  fix  the  wire ;  after  that  we  will  cut  down  the 
other." 

Ready  put  his  ladder  against  one  of  the  trees,  and 
taking  with  him  the  hammer  and  a  bag  of  large  spike 
nails,  drove  one  of  the  nails  into  the  trunk  of  the  tree 
till  it  was  deep  enough  in  to  bear  his  weight ;  he  then 
drove  in  another  above  it,  and  so  he  continued  to  do, 
standing  upon  one  of  them  while  he  drove  in  another 
above,  till  he  had  reached  the  top  of  the  tree,  close  to 
the  boughs ;  he  then  descended,  and,  leaving  the 
hammer  behind  him,  took  up  a  saw  and  small  ax,  and 
in  about  ten  minutes  he  had  cut  off  the  head  of  the 
cocoanut-tree,  which  then  remained  but  a  tall,  bare 
pole. 

"  Take  care,  Ready,  how  you  come  down,"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave  anxiously. 

"Never  fear,  sir,"  replied  Ready;  "I'm    not   so 


MA8TERMAN  READ  T.  209 

young  as  I  was,  but  I  have  been  too  often  at  the  mast- 
head, much  higher  than  this." 

Eeady  came  down  again,  and  then  cut  down  a  small 
pole,  to  fix,  with  a  thick  piece  of  pointed  wire  at  the 
top  of  it,  on  the  head  of  the  cocoanut-tree.  He  then 
went  up,  lashed  the  small  pole  to  the  head  of  the  tree, 
made  the  end  of  the  copper  wire  fast  to  the  pointed 
wire,  and  then  he  descended.  The  other  tree  near  to 
it  was  then  cut  down,  and  the  lower  end  of  the  wire 
buried  in  the  ground  at  the  bottom  of  the  tree  on 
which  the  lightning  conductor  had  been  fixed. 

"  That's  a  good  job  done,  sir,"  said  Ready,  wiping 
his  face,  for  he  was  warm  with  the  work. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  and  we  must  put  up 
another  near  the  outhouse,  or  we  may  lose  our  stores." 

"  Very  true,  sir." 

"  You  understand  this,  William,  don't  you  ?"  said 
his  father. 

"  Oh,  yes,  papa  ;  lightning  is  attracted  by  metal,  and 
will  now  strike  the  point  instead  of  the  house,  run 
down  the  wire,  and  only  tear  up  the  ground  below. 
You  explained  it  to  me  before." 

"Well,  and  you  have  not  forgotten  it,  Master 
William,"  said  Ready.  "  It's  coming  on  again,  sir,  as 
thick  as  ever,"  observed  the  old  man ;  "  we  shall  do  no 
work  to-day,  I'm  afraid.  I'll  just  go  and  see  where 
the  stock  are ;  I  hope  we  have  lost  no  more  of  them. 
Perhaps  you  and  William  will  bury  the  poor  goat ; 
you  will  be  able  to  do  that  before  the  storm  begins." 

Mr.  Seagrave  and  William  pulled  Nanny  out  by  the 
legs,  and  buried  her  under  the  lightning  conductor. 
By  the  time  they  had  finished  Ready  returned ;  he 
had  found  the  goats  and  sheep,  and  he  had  brought 


210  MASTERMAN  READY. 

with  him  the  other  goat,  which  had  kidded  during  the 
storm. 

"  The  Lord  gives,  and  the  Lord  takes  away,  sir," 
said  Keady,  as  he  came  to  them.  "  I  was  fearful  that 
we  should  have  nothing  to  give  the  poor  kids  which 
had  lost  their  mother,  but  now  this  goat  can  rear  them 
all  four.  It  will  be  rather  hard  upon  her,  but  she  must 
do  it ;  we  will  feed  her  well,  at  all  events." 

Ready  led  in  the  other  goat,  and  put  her  in  the  same 
place  where  Black  Nanny  had  been,  and  then  they  sat 
down  to  dinner.  Juno  was  now  up  again,  and  said  that 
she  was  quite  well,  with  the  exception  of  a  headache. 
As  Ready  had  predicted,  the  rain  now  came  on  again 
with  great  violence,  and  it  was  impossible  to  do  any 
work  out-of-doors.  At  the  request  of  William,  he  con- 
tinued his  narrative. 

"  "Well,  Master  "William,  as  soon  as  they  had  let  go 
their  anchor  in  Table  Bay,  we  were  all  ordered  on 
shore,  and  sent  up  to  a  prison  close  to  the  Government 
Gardens.  "We  were  not  very  carefully  watched,  as  it 
appeared  impossible  for  us  to  get  away,  and  I  must 
say  we  were  well  treated  in  every  respect ;  but  we 
were  told  that  we  should  be  sent  to  Holland  in  the 
first  man-of-war  which  came  into  the  bay,  and  we  did 
not  much  like  the  idea. 

"  There  were,  as  I  told  you,  some  other  boys  as  well 
as  myself,  who  belonged  to  the  Indiaman,  and  we  kept 
very  much  together,  not  only  because  we  were  more 
of  an  age,  but  because  we  had  been  shipmates  so  long. 
Two  of  these  boys,  one  of  whom  I  have  mentioned  as 
Jack  Roraer,  and  the  other  Will  Hastings,  were  my 
particular  friends ;  and  one  day,  as  we  were  sitting 
under  the  wall,  warming  ourselves,  for  it  was  winter 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  211 

time,  Romer  said,  '  How  very  easy  it  would  be  for  us 
to  get  away,  if  we  only  knew  where  to  go  to.'  '  Yes,' 
replied  Hastings ;  '  but  where  are  we  to  go  to,  if  it  is 
not  to  the  Hottentots  and  wild  savages  -T  and  when  we 
get  there,  what  can  we  do  ? — we  can't  get  any  further.' 
'  Well,'  said  I, '  I  would  rather  be  living  free  among 
savages  than  be  shut  up  in  a  prison.'  That  was  our 
first  talk  on  the  subject,  but  we  had  many  others 
afterward ;  and  as  the  one  or  two  Dutch  soldiers  who 
stood  sentry  spoke  English,  and  we  could  talk  a  little 
Dutch,  we  obtained  a  good  deal  of  information  from 
them;  for  they  had  very  often  been  sent  to  the 
frontiers  of  the  colony.  We  continued  to  ask  ques- 
tions, and  to  talk  among  ourselves  for  about  two 
months,  and  at  last  we  resolved  that  we  would  make 
our  escape.  Now,  you  see,  Master  William,  this  was 
a  very  foolish  business,  and  shows  how  unfit  boys  are 
to  judge  for  themselves ;  we  were  only  running  into 
hardship  and  danger,  without  the  slightest  chance  of 
our  escaping.  We  should  have  done  much  better  if  we 
had  remained  where  we  were ;  but  there  is  no  putting 
old  heads  upon  young  shoulders.  We  saved  up  our 
provisions,  bought  some  long  Dutch  knives,  tied  our 
few  clothes  up  in  bundles,  and  one  dark  night  we  con- 
trived to  remain  in  the  yard  without  being  perceived 
when  the  prisoners  were  locked  up ;  and  raising  a  long 
pole,  which  lay  in  the  yard,  to  the  top  of  the  wall, 
with  a  good  deal  of  scrambling  we  contrived  to  get 
over  it,  and  made  off  as  fast  as  we  could  for  the  Table 
Mountain." 

"  What  was  your  reason  for  going  there,  Ready  ?" 

"  Why,  Hastings,  who  Avas  the  oldest,  and,  I  will 

say,  the  sharpest  of  the  three,  said  that  we  had  better 


MASTERMAN  READY. 

stay  up  there  for  a  few  days,  till  we  had  made  up  our 
minds  what  to  do,  and  try  if  we  could  not  procure  a 
musket  or  two,  and  ammunition  ;  for,  you  see,  we  had 
money,  as,  when  the  Indiaman  was  first  taken, 
the  captain  divided  a  keg  of  rupees,  which  was 
on  board,  among  the  officers  and  men,  in  proportion 
to  the  wages  due  to  them,  thinking  it  was  better  for 
the  crew  to  have  the  money  than  to  leave  it  for  the 
Frenchmen ;  and  we  had  spent  very  little  while  in 
prison,  for  spirits  were  not  allowed,  and  we  boys  had 
not  begun  to  chew  tobacco  or  smoke.  There  was  also 
another  reason  why  he  persuaded  us  to  go  to  the  Table 
Mountain,  which  was,  that  as  soon  as  our  escape  was 
found  out,  they  would  send  parties  to  look  for  us, 
thinking,  of  course,  that  we  had  made  for  the  interior  ; 
and  we  should  have  less  chance  of  being  retaken  if  we 
traveled  after  the  first  search  was  over.  The  soldiers 
had  told  us  of  the  lions,  and  other  wild  animals,  and 
how  dangerous  it  was  to  travel,  and  Hastings  said  that 
not  finding  us,  they  would  suppose  we  had  been  de- 
stroyed by  the  wild  beasts,  and  would  not  look  for  us 
any  more.  You  see  we  had  some  sort  of  calculation, 
although  we  were  foolish  boys." 

"  Foolish,  indeed,"  observed  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  to  set 
oil  you  knew  not  where,  in  a  country  full  of  wild 
beasts  and  savages." 

"  True  enough,  madam,"  replied  Ready  ;  "  and  now 
I  will  tell  you  what  happened  to  us  ere  we  were  three 
hours  on  our  journey.  We  ran  at  first  until  we  were 
out  of  breath,  and  then  we  walked  on  as  fast  as  we 
could — not  going  right  up  the  mountain,  but  keeping  a 
slanting  direction  to  the  southwest,  so  as  to  get  away 
from  the  town,  and  more  toward  False  Bay — you  rec- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  213 

ollect  I  showed  you  that  bay,  Master  William,  as  we 
passed  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope." 

"  Yes,  I  remember,  Ready." 

"  We  had  walked  about  four  hours,  and  began  to 
feel  very  tired  when  the  day  dawned,  and  then  we 
looked  out  for  a  place  to  conceal  ourselves  in.  We  soon 
found  a  cave  with  a  narrow  entrance,  large  enough  in- 
side to  hold  half  a  dozen  of  such  lads  as  we  were,  and 
we  crawled  in.  It  was  quite  dry  and,  as  we  were 
very  tired  we  lay  down  with  our  heads  on  our  bundles, 
intending  to  take  a  nap ;  but  we  hardly  made  ourselves 
comfortable  and  shut  our  eyes,  when  we  heard  such  a 
screaming  and  barking  that  we  were  frightened  out  of 
our  lives  almost.  We  could  not  think  what  it  could 
be.  At  last  Hastings  peeped  out  and  began  to  laugh ; 
so  Homer  and  I  looked  out  also,  and  there  we  saw 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  large  baboons,  leaping 
and  tumbling  about  in  such  a  way  as  I  never  saw ; 
they  were  bigger  than  we  were — indeed,  when  they 
stood  on  their  hind  legs  they  were  much  taller,  and 
they  had  very  large  white  tusks.  Some  of  them  were 
females,  with  young  ones  on  their  backs,  and  they 
were  just  as  active  as  the  males.  At  last  they  played 
such  antics  that  we  all  burst  out  into  a  loud  laugh,  and 
we  had  not  ceased  when  we  found  the  grinning  face 
of  one  of  the  largest  of  those  brutes  close  to  our  own. 
He  had  dropped  from  the  rock  above  us,  like  magic. 
We  all  three  backed  into  the  cave,  very  much  fright- 
ened, for  the  teeth  of  the  animal  were  enormous,  and 
he  looked  very  savage.  He  gave  a  shrill  cry,  and  we 
perceived  all  the  rest  of  the  herd  coming  to  him  as 
fast  as  they  could.  I  said  that  the  cave  was  large 
enough  to  hold  six  of  us  ;  but  there  was  a  sort  of  inner 


214  MASTERMAN  READY. 

cave,  which  we  had  not  gone  into  as  the  entrance  was 
much  smaller.  Romer  cried  out,  '  Let  us  go  into  the 
inside  cave — we  can  get  in  one  by  one  ;'  and  he  backed 
in ;  Hastings  followed  with  his  bundle,  and  I  hurried 
in  after  him  just  in  time;  for  the  baboons,  who  had 
been  chattering  to  each  other  for  half  a  minute,  came 
into  the  outer  cave  just  as  I  crawled  into  the  inner. 
Five  or  six  of  them  came  in,  all  males,  and  very  large. 
The  first  thing  they  did  was  to  lay  hold  of  Homer's 
bundle,  which  they  soon  opened — at  once  they  seized  his 
provisions  and  rammed  them  into  their  pouches,  and 
then  they  pulled  out  the  other  things  and  tore  them 
all  to  pieces.  As  soon  as  they  had  done  with  the  bun- 
dle two  of  them  came  toward  the  inner  cave  and  saw 
us.  One  put  his  long  paw  in  to  seize  us ;  but  Hastings 
gave  him  a  slash  with  his  knife,  and  the  animal  took 
his  paw  out  again  fast  enough.  It  was  laughable  to 
see  him  hold  out  his  hand  to  the  others,  and  then  taste 
the  blood  with  the  tip  of  his  tongue ;  and  such  a  chat- 
tering I  never  heard — they  were  evidently  very  angry, 
and  more  came  into  the  cave  and  joined  them ;  then 
another  put  in  his  hand  and  received  a  cut  just  as  be- 
fore. At  last  two  or  three  at  once  tried  to  pull  us  out, 
but  we  beat  them  all  off  with  our  knives,  wounding 
them  all  very  severely.  For  about  an  hour  they  con- 
tinued their  attempts,  and  then  they  went  away  out  of 
the  cave,  but  remained  at  the  mouth  shrieking  and 
howling.  We  began  to  be  very  tired  of  this  work,  and 
Romer  said  that  he  wished  he  was  back  in  prison 
again ;  and  so  did  I,  I  can  assure  you ;  but  there  was 
no  getting  out,  for  had  we  gone  out  the  animals  would 
have  torn  us  to  pieces.  We  agreed  that  we  had  no 
chance  but  the  animals  becoming  tired  and  going 


MASTERMAN  READY.  215 

away ;  and  most  anxious  we  were,  for  the  excitement 
had  made  us  very  thirsty,  and  we  wanted  water.  We 
remained  for  two  hours  in  this  way  imprisoned  by 
baboons,  when  all  of  a  sudden  a  shrill  cry  was  given 
by  one  of  the  animals,  and  the  whole  herd  went  gal- 
loping off  as  fast  as  they  could,  screaming  louder  than 
ever.  We  waited  for  a  short  time  to  see  if  they  would 
return,  and  then  Hastings  crawled  out  first,  and,  look- 
ing out  of  the  cave  very  cautiously,  said  that  they  were 
all  gone,  and  that  he  could  see  nothing  but  a  Hottentot 
sitting  down  watching  some  cattle  which  were  brows- 
ing ;  we  therefore  all  came  out,  very  happy  at  our  re- 
lease. That  was  our  first  adventure,  Master  William ; 
we  had  plenty  afterward ;  but  I  think  it  is  now  time 
we  should  go  to  bed.  It  is  my  opinion  we  shall  have 
a  fine  day  to-morrow,  sir ;  but  there's  no  saying." 

"  I  do  so  want  to  hear  what  happened  to  you  after- 
ward, Keady,"  said  William. 

"  Well,  so  you  shall,  sir  ;  but  there's  a  time  for  every- 
thing, and  this  is  bedtime,  unless  you  like  to  go  with 
me,  Master  William ;  the  weather  has  cleared  up,  and 
I  want  to  catch  a  fish  or  two  for  to-morrow." 

"  Yes,  I  will,  Eeady,  for  I'm  not  at  all  tired." 

"  Well,  then,  here  are  the  lines.  Good-night,  madam ; 
good-night,  Mr.  Seagrave." 


216  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

GOD'S     CEEATIVE     POWER. 

As  Ready  had  predicted,  the  weather  set  in  fine  for 
several  days  after  the  violent  storm  of  which  we  have 
made  mention.  Juno  was  weak  and  suffering  for  some 
time.  She  had  been  struck  down  by  the  lightning,  but 
she  was  able  to  cook  the  dinner  and  do  light  work. 
Poor  Juno  appeared  to  be  very  sensible  of  the  won- 
derful preservation  which  she  had  had  from  the  light- 
ning. She  had  always  been  a  good  girl,  and  attentive 
whenever  the  Bible  was  read,  but  now  she  did  not  ap- 
pear to  think  that  the  usual  morning  and  evening 
services  were  sufficient  to  express  her  gratitude,  and 
several  times  when  Ready  went  out  first  in  the  morn- 
ing he  had  perceived  Juno  kneeling  down  under  a 
cocoanut-tree,  secretly  and  devoutly  returning  thanks 
for  having  been  so  mercifully  spared.  Ready,  of  course, 
did  not  appear  to  notice  her,  but  he  said  more  than 
once  to  himself  as  he  walked  away :  "  There's  more 
good  under  that  dark  skin  than  under  many  a  white 
one,  and  her  prayers  are  as  acceptable  to  the  Most 
High  as  those  of  kings  and  princes." 

For  a  fortnight,  with  little  intermission,  the  weather 
was  fine,  and  during  that  time  Ready,  Mr.  Seagrave, 
and  William  worked  from  daylight  till  dusk  at  the 
storehouse,  which  they  were  so  anxious  to  complete, 


MASTERMAN  READY.  217 

and  were  so  tired  when  their  work  was  over  that  even 
William  did  not  ask  Ready  to  go  on  with  his  history. 
At  last  the  storehouse  was  complete,  thatched  and  wat- 
tled in  on  three  sides,  leaving  one  open  for  ventilation  ; 
the  lower  part,  which  had  been  arranged  for  the  fold- 
ing of  the  stock  at  night  and  during  the  rainy  season, 
was  also  wattled  in  with  cocoanut  boughs  on  three 
sides,  and  made  a  very  comfortable  retreat  for  the  ani- 
mals. The  winding  path  to  the  storehouse  was  also 
cut  through  the  cocoanut  grove,  but  the  stumps  were 
not  removed,  as  they  could  not  spare  the  time.  All 
the  stores  that  they  had  brought  round  were  put  into 
the  storehouse,  and  they  were  now  ready  to  take  up 
some  other  job.  It  was,  however,  agreed  that  on  the 
day  after  the  building  was  finished  they  should  all 
have  a  day's  holiday,  which  they  certainly  did  require. 
William  caught  some  fish,  a  turtle  was  speared  and 
wheeled  up  to  the  house,  and  they  not  only  had  a  holi- 
day but  a  feast.  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William  had  been 
walking  on  the  beach  with  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the 
children,  while  Ready  was  assisting  Juno  in  cutting  up 
the  turtle ;  they  had  shown  Mrs.  Seagrave  the  store- 
house, and  the  goats  with  the  four  kids  had  been  led 
there,  as  there  was  no  longer  any  occasion  for  them  to 
remain  in  the  house.  The  weather  was  beautiful,  and 
they  agreed  to  go  and  examine  the  garden.  They 
found  that  the  seeds  had  not  yet  commenced  sprout- 
ing, notwithstanding  the  heavy  rains. 

"  I  should  have  thought  that  so  much  rain  would 
have  made  them  come  up,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  No,  my  dear,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  they  require 
more  of  the  sun  than  they  will  have  till  the  rainy  sea- 


218  MASTERMAN  READY. 

son  is  nearly  over ;  a  few  days  like  this,  and  they  will 
soon  be  above  ground." 

"  Let  us  sit  down  on  this  knoll — it  is  quite  dry,"  said 
Mrs,  Seagrave.  "I  little  thought,"  continued  she, 
taking  Mr.  Seagrave's  hand  after  she  was  seated,  "  that 
I  could  have  been  so  happy  in  a  desert  island.  How 
fast  the  time  flies  !  I  thought  I  should  feel  the  loss  of 
books  very  severely,  but  I  really  do  not  think  that  I 
could  have  found  time  to  read." 

"  Employment  is  a  source  of  happiness,  especially 
when  you  are  usef  ully  employed.  An  industrious  per- 
son is  always  a  happy  person,  provided  he  is  not 
obliged  to  work  too  hard ;  and  even  where  you  have 
cause  for  unhappiness,  nothing  makes  you  forget  it  so 
soon  as  occupation.  I  really  believe  that  an  idle  per- 
son is  never  truly  happy,  and  that  too  much  work  is 
preferable  to  having  nothing  whatever  to  do." 

"  But,  mamma,  we  shall  not  always  have  so  much  to 
do  as  we  have  now,"  said  William. 

"  Of  course  not,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  and  then 
we  shall  find  our  books  a  great  source  of  enjoyment. 
I  am  anxious  to  go  to  the  other  side  of  the  island,  and 
see  what  have  been  spared  to  us,  and  whether  they 
have  been  much  damaged ;  but  that  cannot  be  until 
after  the  rains  are  over,  and  we  can  use  the  boat  again." 

"  What  are  you  about,  Tommy  ?" 

"  I'm  killing  little  beetles,"  replied  Tommy ;  "  I  kill 
plenty." 

"  But  why  should  you  kill  them,  Tommy  \ — they 
don't  hurt  you." 

"  I  don't  like  beetles." 

"That's  not  a  reason,  Tommy;  you  must  not  kill 
whatever  you  don't  like.  If  they  bite  you  or  sting 


MASTERMAN  READY.  219 

you,  then  you  may  destroy  them ;  but  it  is  very  cruel 
to  kill  animals  when  there  is  no  occasion.  Who  made 
those  beetles,  Tommy?  Who  made  everything?" 

"  God,"  replied  Tommy  after  a  little  while. 

"  Yes,  God  made  them,  and  intended  them  to  live 
out  their  short  lives ;  He  made  all  creatures,  and  He 
gave  them  to  us  for  our  use,  but  not  to  abuse  His  good- 
ness by  wantonly  destroying  them.  Do  you  under- 
stand me,  Tommy  ?" 

"  Juno  kills  flies,"  replied  Tommy. 

"Yes,  because  it  is  sometimes  necessary;  but  she 
does  not  kill  them  merely  because  she  has  nothing  else 
to  do ;  remember  what  I  have  said  to  you,  Tommy. 
We  may  well  remember  that  they  are  God's  creatures, 
my  dear  boy,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  turning  to  William ; 
"  look  at  this  minute  insect  which  is  crawling  on  my 
finger ;  what  a  number  of  legs  it  has !" 

"  Yes,  I  have  seen  something  like  it  in  old  books. 
How  fast  it  runs  with  its  little  legs ;  thinner  than  hairs 
— how  wonderful !" 

"Yes,  William,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave;  "we  have 
only  to  examine  into  any  portion,  however  small,  of 
creation,  and  we  are  immediately  filled  with  wonder ; 
we  have  only  to  look  around  us,  wherever  we  may  be, 
and  we  have  food  for  contemplation.  There  is  nothing 
which  points  out  to  us  the  immensity  and  the  omni- 
science of  the  Almighty  more  than  the  careful  provi- 
sion which  has  been  made  by  Him  for  the  smallest  and 
most  insignificant  of  created  beings.  This  little  animal 
is  perhaps  one  of  many  millions,  who  have  their  term 
of  existence,  and  their  enjoyment,  as  well  as  we  have. 
What  is  it  ? — an  insect  of  the  minutest  kind,  a  nothing 
in  creation ;  yet  has  the  same  care  been  bestowed  upon 


220  MASTERMAN  READY. 

its  formation ;  these  little  legs,  hardly  visible,  have  their 
muscles  and  their  sinews  ;  and  every  other  portion  of 
its  body  is  as  complete,  as  fearfully  and  wonderfully 
fashioned,  as  our  own.  Such  is  His  will;  and  what  in- 
sects we  ought  to  feel  ourselves  when  compared  to  the 
God  of  power  and  of  love ! 

"Let  me  also  point  out  to  you,  William,"  continued 
Mr.  Seagrave,  "  the  infinity  of  His  creative  power,  dis- 
played in  endless  variety,  perceptible  even  in  objects 
of  the  same  nature,  and  to  careless  eyes  of  the  same 
form  and  mold.  Among  the  millions  of  men  that  have 
been  born  and  died,  never  yet  were  there  seen  two 
faces  or  two  bodies  exactly  alike ;  nay,  if  you  could 
examine  the  leaves  upon  the  trees,  although  there  may 
be  millions  upon  millions  in  a  forest,  you  could  not 
discover  two  leaves  of  precisely  the  same  form  and 
make." 

"  I  believe  not,"  replied  William,  "  I  have  often  tried 
in  vain ;  yet  some  animals  are  so  much  alike  that  I 
cannot  perceive  any  difference  between  them — sheep, 
for  instance." 

"  Very  true ;  you  cannot  tell  the  difference,  because 
you  have  not  examined  them ;  but  a  shepherd,  if  he 
has  seven  hundred  sheep  under  his  care,  will  know 
every  one  of  them  from  the  others,  which  proves  that 
there  must  be  a  great  difference  between  them,  although 
not  perceptible  to  the  casual  observer ;  and  the  same, 
no  doubt,  is  the  case  with  all  other  classes  of  animals. 
In  everything  made,  His  variety  is  infinite. 

"  And  observe  again,  my  dear  William,  what  effect 
of  human  ingenuity  can  approach  to  the  perfection  of 
structure,  in  the  simplest  formation  by  the  Almighty 
hand.  Look  at  this  small  flower ;  examine  the  beauty 


MASTERMAN  READY.  221 

of  its  color  and  form;  consider  the  lavish  profusion 
with  which  myriads  of  such  flowers  spring  up  to  adorn 
the  earth,  and  yet  how  matchless !  Does  not  our  Re- 
deemer beautifully  point  it  out,  where  he  says,  '  Con- 
sider the  lilies  of  the  field ;  they  toil  not,  neither  do 
they  spin ;  and  yet  I  say  unto  you  that  even  Solomon 
in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these  ?'  r 

"  Yes,  Master  William,"  observed  Ready ;  "  I  have 
often  wondered  over  the  things  that  I  have  seen,  and 
I  have  even  in  my  ignorance  felt  what  your  papa  has 
now  told  you ;  and  it  has  brought  into  my  mind  the 
words  of  Job  :  '  When  I  consider,  I  am  afraid  of  Him.' " 

"Papa,"  said  William,  after  a  pause  in  the  conver- 
sation, "  you  have  referred  to  the  variety — the  wonder- 
ful variety — shown  in  the  works  of  the  Deity.  Tell 
me  some  other  prominent  feature  in  creation." 

"  One  of  the  most  remarkable  in  creation,  William, 
is  order." 

"Point  out  to  me,  papa,  where  and  in  what  that 
quality  is  most  observable." 

"Everywhere  and  in  everything,  my  dear  boy; 
whether  we  cast  our  eyes  up  to  the  heavens  above  us,  or 
penetrate  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  the  principle  of 
order  is  everywhere — everything  is  governed  by  fixed 
laws,  which  cannot  be  disobeyed ;  we  have  order  in 
the  seasons,  in  the  tides,  in  the  movement  of  the  heav- 
enly bodies,  in  the  instinct  of  animals,  in  the  duration 
of  life  assigned  to  each ;  from  the  elephant,  who  lives 
more  than  a  century,  to  the  ephemeral  fly,  whose  whole 
existence  is  limited  to  an  hour. 

"  Inanimate  nature  is  subject  to  the  same  unvarying 
laws.  Metals,  and  rocks,  and  earths,  and  all  the 
mineral  kingdom,  follow  one  law  in  their  crystallization, 


222  MASTERMAN  READY. 

never  varying  from  the  form  assigned  to  them  ;  each 
atom  depositing  itself  in  the  allotted  place,  until  that 
form  is  complete  ;  we  have  order  in  production,  order 
in  decay  ;  but  all  is  simple  to  Him  by  whom  the 
planets  were  thrown  out  into  space,  and  were  com- 
manded to  roll  in  their  eternal  orbits." 

"  I  never  do  look  up  on  a  starry  night  without  feel- 
ing inclined  to  pray,"  said  William.  "  The  stars  in  the 
heavens  are  beautiful,  but  they  are  not  placed  there  in 
order." 

"  The  fixed  stars  do  not  appear  to  us  to  be  in  order 
— that  is,  they  do  not  stud  the  heavens  at  equal  dis- 
tances from  each  other  as  we  view  them  ;  but  you  must 
recollect  that  they  are  at  very  different  distances  from 
this  earth,  spreading  over  an  an  infinity  of  space ;  and 
we  have  reason  to  suppose  that  this  our  earth  is  but  a 
mere  unit  in  the  multitude  of  created  worlds,  only  one 
single  portion  of  an  infinite  whole.  As  the  stars  now 
appear  to  us,  they  are  useful  to  the  mariner,  enabling 
him  to  cross  the  trackless  seas  ;  and  to  the  astronomer, 
who  calculates  the  times  and  seasons.  Depend  upon 
it,  William,  it  is  for  wise  reasons  that  we  view  the 
stars  as  we  now  do,  so  profusely  scattered  in  the 
heavens." 

"What  do  you  mean,  papa,  by  saying  that  this 
world  of  ours  is  supposed  to  be  but  one  of  a  multitude 
of  created  worlds  ?" 

"  William,  our  little  knowledge  is  bounded  to  this 
our  own  earth,  which  we  have  ascertained  very  satis- 
factorily to  be  but  one  of  several  planets  revolving 
round  our  own  sun.  I  say  our  own  sun,  because  we 
have  every  reason  to  suppose  that  each  of  those  fixed 
stars,  and  myriads  now  not  visible  to  the  naked  eye, 


MASTERMA N  READ  T.  223 

are  all  suns,  bright  and  glorious  as  our  own,  and  of 
course  throwing  light  and  heat  upon  unseen  planets 
revolving  round  them.  Does  not  this  give  you  some 
idea  of  the  vastness,  the  power,  and  the  immensity  of 
God?" 

"One  almost  loses  one's  self  in  the  imagination," 
said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  dearest,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  and  it  has 
been  surmised  by  some,  who  have  felt  in  their  hearts 
the  magnificence  of  the  great  Architect,  that  there 
must  be  some  point  of  view  in  space  where  all  those 
glorious  suns,  which  seem  to  us  confused  in  the  heavens 
above  us,  will  appear  all  symmetrically  arranged,  will 
there  be  viewed  in  regular  order,  whirling  round  in 
one  stupendous  and  perfect  system  of  beauty  and 
design ;  and  where  can  that  be,  if  it  is  not  in  that 
heaven  which  we  hope  to  gain  ?" 

There  was  a  silence  for  a  few  moments,  when 
William  said,  "  They  say  that  there  are  people  who 
are  atheists,  papa.  How  can  they  be  so  if  they  only 
look  around  them  ?  I'm  sure  a  mere  examination  of 
the  works  of  God  ought  to  make  them  good  Chris- 
tians." 

"  No,  my  child,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  there  you 
are  in  error.  Few  deny  the  existence  of  a  Deity  ;  and 
an  examination  of  His  works  may  make  them  good 
and  devout  men,  but  not  Christians.  There  are  good 
men  to  be  found  under  every  denomination,  whether 
they  be  Jews,  Mohammedans,  or  Pagans ;  but  they 
are  not  Christians." 

"  Yery  true,  papa." 

"  Faith  in  things  seen,  if  I  may  use  the  term,  my 
dear  child — faith  produced  by  an  examination  of  the 


224  MASTERMAN  READY. 

works  of  creation — may  induce  men  to  acknowledge 
the  power  and  goodness  of  the  Almighty,  but  it  will 
not  make  them  wise  to  salvation ;  for  that  end  it  is 
necessary,  as  the  Apostle  saith,  to  have  faith  in  things 
not  seen.  There  is  little  merit  in  acknowledging 
what  is  evident  to  our  senses ;  the  faith  required  of  us 
as  Christians,  and  to  which  are  attached  the  great  and 
gracious  promises  of  the  Gospel,  is  faith  in  a  sublime 
and  to  us  an  incomprehensible  mystery — the  in- 
carnation of  the  Son  of  God,  who  descended  upon 
earth  and  took  the  form  of  man,  and  actually  suffered 
for  our  redemption.  Still  the  examination  of  the 
works  of  God  will  always  produce  an  effect,  which,  by 
the  divine  blessing,  may  tend  eventually  to  make  those 
Christians  who  as  yet  are  not  so.  The  visible  works 
of  the  Creator  prove  beyond  all  doubt  His  stupendous 
power  and  His  overflowing  love ;  and,  once  convinced 
of  these,  we  ought  to  be  better  prepared  to  receive 
those  tenets  of  a  Christian's  faith,  which  are  to  us  in- 
comprehensible, but  which  nothing  but  His  love  to  us 
would  have  suggested.  What  saith  the  apostle? 
*  Herein  is  love — not  that  we  love  God,  but  that  He 
loved  us,  and  sent  His  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins.' " 


MASTERMAN  READY.  225 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE   DUTCH    FARM. 

"  WELL,  Ready,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  after  break- 
fast, which  is  to  be  our  next  job  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  I  think  we  had  better  all  set  to  to  collect 
the  branches  and  ends  of  the  cocoanut-trees  cut  down, 
and  stack  them  for  fuel;  Master  Tommy  and  Juno 
have  already  made  a  good  large  pile,  and  I  think  by 
to-night  we  shall  have  made  the  stack,  and  so  arranged 
it  that  the  rain  will  not  get  into  it  much.  After  that, 
as  the  weather  will  not  permit  us  to  leave  the  house 
for  any  time,  we  will  cut  our  salt-pan  and  make  our 
fish-pond ;  they  will  take  a  Aveek  at  least,  and  then  we 
shall  have  little  more  to  do  near  home.  I  think  the 
strength  of  the  rains  is  over  already,  and  perhaps  in  a 
fortnight  we  may  venture  to  walk  through  the  wood, 
and  examine  what  we  have  saved  from  the  wreck  ;  we 
shall  have  plenty  to  do  in  sorting  and  preparing  the 
different  articles  before  the  fine  weather  returns,  and 
we  can  then  bring  them  round  in  the  boat  and  fill  our 
storehouse." 

"  And  we  are  to  explore  the  island ;  are  we  not, 
Ready  ?"  said  William.  "  I  long  to  do  that." 

"  Yes,  Master  William ;  but  that  must  be  almost  the 
last  job ;  for  we  shall  be  away  for  two  or  three  nights, 
perhaps,  and  we  must  look  out  for  fine  weather.  We 


226  MASTERMAN  READY, 

will,  however,  do  that  before  we  bring  the  stores  round 
in  the  boat." 

"  But  how  are  we  to  make  the  salt-pan,  Keady  ?  We 
must  cut  it  out  of  the  solid  rock." 

"  Yes,  Master  William  ;  but  I  have  three  or  four  of 
what  they  call  cold  chisels — those  short,  thick  pieces 
of  iron,  with  one  end  sharpened,  which  are  in  the 
storehouse — and  with  one  of  them  and  a  hammer 
we  shall  get  on  faster  than  you  think ;  for  the  coral 
rock,  although  hard  at  the  surface,  is  very  soft  a  little 
below  it." 

The  whole  of  the  day  was  employed  in  piling  up  the 
cocoanut  branches  and  wood.  Ready  made  a  square 
stack,  like  a  haystack,  with  a  gable  top,  over  which 
he  tied  the  long  branches,  so  that  the  rain  would  pour 
off  it. 

"  There,"  said  Ready,  as  he  came  down  the  ladder, 
"  that  will  be  our  provision  for  next  year ;  we  have 
quite  enough  left  to  go  on  with  till  the  rainy  season  is 
over,  and  we  shall  have  no  difficulty  in  collecting  it 
afterward  when  the  weather  is  dry ;  this  must  be  kept 
for  the  next  rainy  season." 

Mr.  Seagrave  sighed  and  looked  grave ;  Ready  ob- 
served it,  and  said  :  "  Mr.  Seagrave,  it  is  not  that  we 
may  want  it ;  but  still  we  must  prepare  for  the  next 
rainy  season,  in  case  we  do  want  it.  That  Captain 
Osborn,  if  he  lives,  will  send  to  look  for  us,  I  have  no 
doubt;  nay,  I  believe  that  Mackintosh  will  do  the 
same ;  but  still  you  must  not  forget  that  they  all  may 
have  perished,  although  we  have  been  so  mercifully 
preserved.  A  small  boat  has  a  poor  chance  when  it 
has  to  run  many  hundred  miles  in  the  open  sea ;  and  if 
they  should  have  perished,  we  may  remain  here  for 


M  A  STERMAN  READ  T. 


years   before  we  are  discovered.     We  must  put  our 
trust  in  God,  sir." 

"  "We  must,  Eeady  ;  and  if  it  is  His  will,  we  must 
not  murmur.  I  have  schooled  myself  as  much  as  pos- 
sible ;  but  thoughts  will  come,  in  spite  of  my  endeavors 
to  restrain  them." 

"  Of  course  they  will,  sir  ;  that's  natural  ;  however, 
sir,  you  must  hope  for  the  best  ;  fretting  is  no  good, 
and  it  is  sinful." 

"  I  feel  it  is,  Ready  ;  and  when  1  see  how  patient, 
and  even  happy,  my  wife  is  under  such  privations,  I 
am  angry  with  myself." 

"  A  woman,  sir,  bears  adversity  better  than  a  man. 
A  woman  is  all  love,  and  if  she  has  but  her  husband 
and  children  with  her,  and  in  good  health,  she  will 
make  herself  happy  almost  anywhere;  but  men  are 
different  :  they  cannot  bear  being  shut  out  of  the  world 
as  you  are  now  ;  although  perhaps  they  would  be  hap- 
pier for  not  being  mixed  up  with  it,  if  they  could  only 
think  so." 

"  It  is  our  ambition  which  makes  us  unhappy, 
Ready,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  but  let  us  say  no 
more  about  it  :  God  must  dispose  of  me  as  He  thinks 
fit.  The  sun  has  set  ;  let  us  go  home  :  come,  William." 

After  supper  Ready,  being  requested  by  William, 
continued  his  narrative  : 

"  I  left  oif,  if  I  recollect  right,  Master  William,  just 
as  the  Hottentot,  with  the  cattle  under  his  care,  had 
frightened  away  the  baboons  who  were  tormenting  us. 
Well,  sir,  we  came  out  of  the  cave  and  sat  down  under 
the  rock,  so  that  the  Hottentot  could  not  see  us,  and 
we  had  a  sort  of  council  of  war.  Romer  was  for  going 
back  and  giving  ourselves  up  again  ;  for  he  said  it  was 


228  MASTERMAN  READY. 

ridiculous  to  be  wandering  about  without  any  arms  to 
defend  ourselves  against  wild  beasts,  and  that  we 
might  fall  in  with  something  worse  than  the  baboons 
very  soon  ;  and  he  was  right.  It  would  have  been  the 
wisest  thing  which  we  could  have  done ;  but  Hastings 
said  that  if  we  went  back  we  should  be  laughed  at ; 
and  the  idea  of  being  laughed  at  made  us  all  agree 
that  we  would  not.  You  see,  Master  William,  the  fear 
of  being  laughed  at  is  the  occasion  of  not  only  boys, 
but  even  men,  doing  very  foolish  things.  We  had  done 
wrong,  and  we  would  not  do  right  because  we  were 
afraid  of  ridicule ;  in  fact,  we  were  determined  to  risk 
our  lives  and  run  into  any  danger  and  hardship,  be- 
cause we  could  not  bear  to  be  laughed  at  for  our  folly, 
as  we  deserved  to  be.  Bear  this  in  mind,  Master 
William,  and  never  let  the  fear  of  ridicule  induce  you 
to  do  what  is  wrong;  or  if  you  have  done  wrong, 
prevent  you  from  returning  to  what  is  your  duty." 

"  Many  thanks  for  your  advice,  Ready ;  I  hope 
William  will  not  forget  it,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  more 
people  are  laughed  into  error  than  persuaded  into  it." 

"  Well,  sir,  such  was  our  reason  for  not  giving  up 
our  mad  scheme  ;  and  having  so  decided,  the  next  point 
of  consultation  between  us  was,  how  we  were  to  pro: 
cure  arms  and  ammunition,  which  we  could  not  do 
without.  As  we  were  talking  this  over,  I  peeped  from 
behind  the  rock,  to  see  where  the  Hottentot  might  be ; 
I  perceived  that  he  had  lain  himself  down,  and 
wrapped  himself  up  in  his  kross,  a  mantle  of  sheep- 
skins which  they  always  wear.  Now  we  had  observed 
that  he  carried  his  musket  in  his  hand,  when  we  first 
saw  him,  as  the  Hottentots  always  go  out  armed,  and 
I  pointed  out  to  Hastings  and  Romer  that  if  he  was 


MASTERMAN  READY.  229 

asleep,  we  might  get  possession  of  his  musket  without 
his  perceiving  it.  This  was  a  good  idea,  and  Hastings 
said  he  would  crawl  to  him  on  his  hands  and  knees, 
while  we  remained  behind  the  rock.  He  did  so  very 
cautiously,  and  found  the  man's  head  covered  up  in  his 
kross  and  fast  asleep ;  so  there  was  no  fear,  for  the 
Hottentots  are  very  hard  to  wake  at  any  time ;  that 
we  knew  well.  Hastings  first  took  the  musket  and 
carried  it  away,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  Hottentot,  and 
then  he  returned  to  him,  cut  the  leather  thong  which 
slung  his  powder-horn  and  ammunition,  and  retreated 
with  all  of  them  without  disturbing  the  man  from  his 
sleep. 

"  We  were  quite  overjoyed  at  this  piece  of  good 
luck,  and  determined  to  walk  very  cautiously  some 
distance  from  where  the  Hottentot  lay,  that  in  case  he 
awoke  he  should  not  see  us.  Keeping  our  eyes  about 
in  every  direction,  lest  we  should  meet  with  anybody 
else,  we  proceeded  nearly  a  mile  toward  Table  Bay, 
when  we  fell  in  with  a  stream  of  water.  This  was 
another  happy  discovery,  for  we  were  very  thirsty ; 
so  we  concealed  ourselves  near  to  the  stream  after  we 
had  quenched  our  thirst,  and  made  a  dinner  off  the 
provisions  we  had  brought  with  us." 

"But,  Keady,  did  you  not  do  wrong  to  steal  the 
Hottentot's  musket  ?" 

"  No,  Master  William  ;  in  that  instance  it  could  not 
be  considered  as  a  theft.  We  were  in  an  enemy's 
country,  trying  to  escape ;  we  were  therefore  just  as 
much  at  war  with  the  country  as  we  were  when  they 
took  us  prisoners,  and  we  no  more  stole  the  musket  than 
they  could  be  said  to  have  stolen  our  ship.  Am  I  not 
right,  Mr.  Seagrave  ?" 


230  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  I  think  so ;  when  two  nations  are  at  war  the 
property  of  either,  when  taken,  is  confiscated.  In  your 
position  you  were  justified  in  appropriating  any 
property  you  might  get  hold  of  which  would  further 
your  attempts  to  escape ;  although  I  should  not  think 
you  would  have  been  morally  justified  if  you  had  mur- 
dered and  robbed,  or  even  robbed  wantonly." 

"  Exactly  so ;  but,  in  attempting  our  escape,  had  it 
been  necessary  to  have  either  surrendered  ourselves  as 
prisoners  again,  or  have  taken  the  life  of  those  who 
would  have  made  us  captives,  we  should  have  been 
justified  in  killing  the  parties." 

"  I  believe  you  are  justified  in  what  may  seem  ex- 
treme acts  for  the  recovery  of  your  liberty  after  you 
have  been  made  prisoners.  It  has  always  been  so 
considered." 

"  "Well,  sir,  to  go  on :  we  waited  till  dusk,  and  then 
we  continued  our  march  toward  False  Bay  as  fast  as 
we  could.  We  knew  that  there  were  farmers  down  in 
the  valley,  or  rather  the  sides  of  the  hills,  and  we 
hoped  to  obtain,  by  some  means  or  other,  two  more 
muskets.  It  was  near  twelve  o'clock  at  night,  and 
with  a  bright  moon,  when  we  had  a  sight  of  the  water 
in  False  Bay,  and  soon  afterward  we  heard  the  baying 
of  a  large  dog,  and  not  far  from  us  we  distinguished 
two  or  three  farmhouses,  with  their  cattle-folds  and 
orchards.  We  then  looked  for  a  hiding-place  where 
we  might  remain  till  the  morning ;  we  found  one  be- 
tween some  large  pieces  of  rock.  We  agreed  that  one 
should  watch  while  the  other  two  slept ;  this  Hastings 
undertook  to  do,  as  he  was  not  inclined  to  sleep.  At 
daylight  he  woke  Komer  and  me,  and  we  made  our 
breakfast.  From  the  place  we  were  concealed  in,  we 


MASTERMAN  READY.  231 

had  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  farmhouse,  and  of  what 
was  going  on. 

"The  farmhouse  and  buildings  just  below  us  were 
much  smaller  than  the  other  two,  which  were  more 
distant.  "We  watched  the  people  as  they  went  about. 
In  about  an  hour  the  Hottentots  came  out,  and  we 
perceived  that  they  were  yoking  the  oxen  to  the 
wagon ;  they  yoked  twelve  pair,  and  then  the  Hotten- 
tot driver  got  in  and  drove  off  toward  Cape  Town,  ac- 
companied by  a  Hottentot  lad  and  the  big  dog.  Soon 
after  that  another  Hottentot  drove  the  cows  up  the 
valley  to  feed  ;  and  then  a  Dutch  woman  came  out  of 
the  house  with  two  children,  and  fed  the  poultry. 

"  We  watched  for  another  hour,  and  then  the  farmer 
himself  made  his  appearance,  with  a  pipe  in  his  mouth, 
and  sat  down  on  a  bench.  When  his  pipe  was  out  he 
called  to  the  house,  and  a  Hottentot  woman  came  to 
him  with  more  tobacco  and  a  light.  During  the  whole 
of  the  day  we  did  not  see  any  other  people  about  the 
house,  so  we  concluded  that  there  were  no  more  than 
the  farmer,  his  wife,  the  Hottentot  woman,  and  two 
children.  About  two  hours  after  noon  the  farmer  went 
to  the  stable  and  led  out  his  horse,  mounted,  and  rode 
away;  we  saw  him  speak  to  the  Hottentot  woman 
when  he  rode  off,  and  she  soon  after  went  down  the 
valley  with  a  basket  on  her  head,  and  a  long  knife  in 
her  hand.  Then  Hastings  said  it  was  time  that  we 
moved,  for  there  was  but  one  woman  in  the  house,  and 
we  could  easily  overpower  her  and  get  what  we  wanted ; 
still  there  was  a  great  risk,  as  she  might  give  the 
alarm,  and  we  should  have  to  escape  in  the  daytime, 
and  might  be  seen  and  taken  prisoners  again.  How- 
ever, as  it  was  our  only  chance,  we  resolved  to  go  down 


232  XASTERMAN  READY. 

to  the  farmhouse  very  cautiously  and  be  all  ready  to 
seize  any  opportunity.  We  crept  down  the  hill  and 
gained  the  fence,  which  was  at  the  back  of  the  farm- 
house, without  being  discovered ;  we  remained  there 
for  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  when,  to  our  great  joy, 
we  observed  the  farmer's  wife  go  out  of  the  house, 
leading  a  child  in  each  hand ;  apparently  she  was  going 
to  visit  one  of  her  neighbors,  for  she  went  in  the  direc- 
tion of  one  of  the  other  farms.  As  soon  as  she  was  a 
hundred  yards  off  Hastings  crept  softly  through  the 
fence  and  entered  the  farmhouse  by  the  back  door ;  he 
came  out  again  and  made  a  sign  for  us  to  come  in. 
We  found  him  already  in  possession  of  a  rifle  and  a 
musket,  which  had  been  hanging  over  the  fireplace, 
and  we  soon  handed  down  the  powder-horns  and  am- 
munition pouches,  which  were  hung  up  at  a  different 
part  of  the  room,  away  from  the  fireplace. 

"  Having  gained  these,  Hastings  set  me  to  watch  at 
the  front  door,  lest  anybody  should  return,  while 
Homer  and  he  looked  out  for  something  else  in  the 
way  of  provisions.  He  got  possession  of  three  hams, 
and  a  large  loaf  of  bread  as  big  as  a  small  washing-tub. 
With  these  articles  we  made  our  way  safe  back  to  our 
retreat.  We  then  looked  round,  and  could  see  nobody 
in  any  direction ;  so  we  presumed  that  we  were  not 
discovered.  As  there  was  a  sort  of  ravine  full  of  rocks 
dividing  the  hill,  which  we  were  obliged  to  pass  before 
we  could  get  into  the  valley,  unless  we  went  down  close 
to  the  farmhouse,  we  agreed  that  it  would  be  better  at 
once  to  cross  it  during  the  daytime,  so  that  we  should 
get  that  difficulty  over,  and,  at  the  same  time,  be  fur- 
ther from  the  farmhouse.  We  did  so,  and  found  a  very 
secure  hiding-place,  where  we  lay  down,  waiting  for 


MASTERMAN  READY.  233 

the  sun  to  set  before  we  started  on  our  journey  into  the 
interior.  We  had  not  been  there  an  hour  before  we 
heard  the  shrill  cry  of  our  friends,  the  baboons,  on  the 
hill  which  we  had  left ;  and  after  that  we  perceived 
them  going  down  toward  the  farmhouse,  and  very  busy 
taking  the  fruit  out  of  the  orchard,  throwing  it  from 
one  to  the  other  as  fast  as  they  could ;  for,  you  see, 
these  cunning  animals  had  found  out  that  the  coast 
was  clear,  and  did  not  lose  so  good  an  opportunity. 
They  were  still  busy  with  their  work  when  the  Hot- 
tentot came  in  sight  with  the  cows ;  and  when  he  ap- 
proached the  farmhouse  they  all  gave  a  loud  scream 
and  scampered  off  as  fast  as  they  could.  Then  the 
Dutch  woman  was  seen  coming  back,  and  when  she 
had  gone  into  the  house  and  spoken  to  the  Hottentot 
we  heard  her  crying  as  she  came  out  again  by  the  back 
door.  About  an  hour  before  dusk  the  Dutch  farmer 
came  home  on  horseback,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we 
knew,  by  the  shrieking  and  screams,  that  he  was  beat- 
ing his  wife ;  for  you  see,  sir  (that  is,  we  suppose  it  was 
so),  by  her  leaving  the  house  the  baboons  had  ventured 
to  rob  the  orchard ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  it  was  taken 
for  granted  that  they  had  carried  off  the  different  arti- 
cles missing  in  the  house,  for  they  will  take  anything  ; 
so  if  it  was  unfortunate  for  the  poor  woman,  it  was 
lucky  for  us,  as  it  removed  the  suspicion  of  our  being 
there,  and  occasioned  no  search  after  us ;  so  we  quite 
forgave  the  baboons  all  the  annoyance  they  had  given 
us  in  the  morning,  in  consequence  of  the  good  turn 
they  had  done  us  in  the  evening.  I  think  I  had  better 
leave  off  now,  Master  William,  as  it  is  getting  late." 


234  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XXXYII. 

BEADY    AND    THE    HYENA. 

THE  fish-pond  was  commenced  the  next  morning. 
Ready,  Mr.  Seagrave,  and  William  went  down  together 
to  the  beach,  and,  after  much  examination,  chose  a  spot 
about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  turtle-pond  as  most 
eligible  for  the  purpose ;  the  water  being  shallow,  so 
that  at  the  part  furthest  from  the  shore  there  would 
not  be  more  than  three  feet. 

"  Now,  sir,"  said  Ready,  "  this  is  a  very  simple  job  ; 
all  we  have  to  do  is  to  collect  small  rocks  and  stones, 
pile  them  up  wall-fashion  inside,  and  with  a  slope  out- 
side, so  as  to  break  the  force  of  the  waves  when  the 
water  is  a  little  rough  ;  of  course  the  water  will  find 
its  way  through  the  stones,  and  will  be  constantly 
changed.  It's  very  true  that  we  can  at  most  times 
catch  fish  when  we  want  them,  but  it  is  not  always 
that  we  can  spare  the  time ;  so  it's  just  as  well  to  have 
always  a  certain  quantity  at  hand  to  take  out  at  a  mo- 
ment's warning ;  and  we  can,  of  course,  catch  them 
and  put  them  in  here  when  we  have  nothing  else  to  do. 
Juno  will  be  able  to  come  down  and  take  them  out 
with  the  spear  when  we  are  away  and  she  wants  some- 
thing for  dinner.  There's  nothing  like  having  a  ready 
supply  of  provisions  at  all  times." 

"  But  there  are  few  stones  about  here,  Ready ;  we 
shall  have  to  fetch  them  a  long  way,"  said  William. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  235 

"  Well,  then,  Master  William,  let  us  get  the  wheels 
down  here,  and  then  we  can  carry  a  quantity  at  a 
time." 

"  But  how  shall  we  carry  them,  Eeady  ?" 

"  We  will  sling  a  tub  on  the  axle ;  I  will  go  up  and 
get  that  ready  and  bring  it  down ;  in  the  meantime, 
you  and  Mr.  Seagrave  can  collect  all  the  stones  which 
are  near  at  hand." 

Keady  soon  returned  with  the  wheels,  and  the  tub 
slung  with  rope  on  the  axle,  and  by  that  means  they 
found  that  they  could  collect  the  stones  very  fast ;  Mr. 
Seagrave  and  William  bringing  them  and  Keady,  in  the 
water,  building  up  the  wall. 

"  We  have  quite  forgot  another  job  which  we  must 
put  in  hand,  sir,"  observed  Ready  ;  "  but  the  fish-pond 
reminds  me  of  it." 

«  What  is  that,  Ready  ?" 

"  A  bathing-place  for  the  children,  and  indeed  for 
us  all ;  we  shall  want  it  when  the  hot  weather  comes 
on,  but  we  will  put  it  off  till  then.  I  can  tell  you,  sir, 
that  although  I  don't  mind  building  this  wall  in  the 
shallow  water,  I  shall  be  very  careful  when  the  water 
is  up  to  my  knees,  for  you  don't  know  how  bold  the 
sharks  are  in  these  latitudes.  When  I  was  at  St. 
Helena,  not  very  long  ago,  we  had  a  melancholy  proof 
of  it." 

"  Tell  us  the  story,  Ready." 

"  Why,  sir,  I  could  not  have  believed  it  possible.  I 
did  know  an  instance,  something  of  the  kind,  when  I 
was  in  the  East  Indies ;  but  that  was  not  a  shark,  but 
an  alligator.  A  Dutchman  at  Trincomalee  was  stand- 
ing on  the  beach,  fishing  in  the  harbor ;  an  alligator 
swam  right  up  to  him,  till  his  snout  was  within  two 


.236  MASTERMAN  UEAD7. 

feet  of  him ;  but  the  Dutchman,  being  on  shore,  did 
.not  care  for  him,  when  all  of  a  sudden  the  alligator 
turned  short  round  in  the  water,  and  in  so  doing,  with 
his  tail  he  tripped  up  the  Dutchman  and  threw  him 
into  the  water,  and  then  laid  hold  of  him,  and  dived 
down." 

""Well,  but  a  shark  could  not  do  that,  could  he?" 

"  Yes,  sir.  Two  soldiers  were  standing  on  the  rocks 
at  St.  Helena ;  the  rocks  were  out  of  the  water,  but 
the  swell  just  broke  over  them.  Two  sharks  swam  up 
to  them  in  the  same  way  as  the  alligator  did,  and  one 
of  them,  with  a  blow  of  his  tail,  turning  round  the 
same  way,  tripped  one  of  them  off  into  the  water, 
which  was  very  deep.  His  comrade  was  very  much 
frightened,  and  ran  to  the  barracks  to  tell  the  story. 
About  a  week  afterward  a  schooner  was  in  Sandy 
Bay,  on  the  other  side  of  the  island,  and  the  people, 
seeing  a  very  large  shark  under  the  stern,  put  out  a 
hook  with  a  piece  of  pork,  and  caught  him ;  they 
opened  him,  and  found  inside  of  him,  to  their  horror, 
the  whole  of  the  body  of  the  soldier,  except  the  legs 
below  the  knees:  the  monster  had  swallowed  him 
whole,  with  the  exception  of  his  legs,  which  had  been 
nipped  off  when  it  closed  its  jaws.  I  saw  the  maw  and 
the  backbone  of  the  animal  at  the  barracks,  and  it  cer- 
tainly was  the  largest  brute  of  the  kind  that  I  ever 
witnessed  in  my  life." 

"I  really  had  no  idea  that  they  were  so  bold, 
Keady." 

"  It  is  a  fact,  I  assure  you,  sir ;  and  therefore  we 
cannot  be  too  careful  how  we  go  into  the  water  :  you 
saw  how  soon  the  poor  pig  was  dispatched." 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  23  7 

"I  wonder  how  the  pigs  get  on,  Keady?"  said 
William. 

"  I  dare  say  they  have  littered  by  this  time,  sir ; 
they  have  no  want  of  food." 

"  But  can  they  eat  the  cocoanuts  ?" 

"  Not  the  old  ones,  but  they  can  the  young  ones, 
which  are  constantly  dropping  from  the  trees,  and  then 
there's  plenty  of  roots  for  them.  If  we  stay  long  here 
we  shall  soon  have  good  sport  hunting  them ;  but  we 
must  be  very  careful,  Master  William ;  for  although 
they  were  tame  pigs  when  we  brought  them  on  shore, 
they  will  be  wild  and  very  savage  in  a  very  short 
time.  A  wild  boar  is  a  formidable  animal." 

"  So  I  believe,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  how  must  we 
hunt  them  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  with  the  dogs,  and  then  shoot  them.  I 
am  glad  that  Yixen  is  to  pup  soon;  we  shall  want 
more  dogs." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  we  shall  have  more  mouths  than 
we  can  find  food  for." 

"  Never  fear  that,  sir,  as  long  as  we  have  the  sea  to 
fish  in.  Dogs  live  very  well  upon  fish,  even  if  it  is 
raw ;  in  the  northern  climes  they  get  little  else." 

"  We  shall  have  some  lambs  soon,  Keady ;  shall  we 
not?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  expect  very  soon.  I  wish  we  had  more 
food  for  the  animals :  they  are  put  rather  hard  to  it 
just  now ;  but  next  year,  if  we  find  more  food  on  the 
island,  we  must  keep  the  grass  near  home,  to  make 
hay  and  stack  it  for  the  winter  time — or  the  rainy 
season  rather,  for  there  is  no  winter  in  these  latitudes. 
I'm  pretty  sure  we  shall  find  some  clear  land  on  the 
south  of  the  island,  for  the  cocoanut  grove  does  not 


238  MASTERMAN  READY. 

extend  so  close  to  the  water  on  that  side  as  it  does  on 
the  north." 

"  I  do  so  long  to  go  on  our  exploring  party,"  said 
William. 

"  "We  must  wait  a  little,  sir,"  replied  Heady ;  "  but  I 
don't  know  whether  you  will  go :  we  must  not  all 
three  go  at  once,  and  leave  Mrs.  Seagrave  alone." 

"  No,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave, "  that  would  not  be  fair ; 
either  you  or  I  must  remain,  William." 

William  made  no  reply,  but  it  was  evident  that  he 
was  annoyed  at  the  idea  of  not  being  of  the  party. 
They  worked  very  hard  that  day,  and  the  walls  rose 
fast  out  of  the  water.  At  sunset  they  broke  off  and 
returned  to  the  house. 

After  supper  Ready  continued  his  narrative.  "  We 
remained  concealed  until  it  was  dark,  and  then  Hast- 
ings and  Homer,  each  with  a  musket  on  his  shoulder 
and  a  ham  at  his  back,  and  I,  being  the  smallest,  with 
a  rifle  and  the  great  loaf  of  bread,  which  was  slung  to 
me  by  a  string  passing  through  a  hole  bored  through 
the  middle,  set  off  on  our  journey.  Our  intention  was 
to  travel  north,  as  we  knew  that  was  the  road  leading 
from  the  colony ;  but  Hastings  had  decided  that  we 
should  first  go  to  the  eastward,  so  as  to  make  what 
we  sailors  call  a  circumbendibus,  which  would  keep  us 
out  of  the  general  track.  We  passed  through  the  deep 
sands  of  False  Bay,  and  after  that  gradually  ascended, 
getting  among  the  brushwood  and  young  trees ;  but  we 
saw  no  signs  of  cultivation,  nor  did  we  pass  one  house 
after  we  had  left  False  Bay  astern  of  us.  About  twelve 
o'clock  we  were  very  much  fatigued,  and  longed  for  a 
drink  of  water,  but  we  did  not  find  any,  although  the 
moon  shone  as  bright  as  day.  We  distinctly  heard, 


MASTERMAN  READY.  239 

however,  what  we  did  not  much  like,  the  howling  and 
cries  of  the  wild  beasts,  which  increased  as  we  went 
on ;  still  we  did  not  see  any,  and  that  was  our  comfort. 
At  last  we  were  so  tired  that  we  all  sat  down  on  the 
ledge  of  a  rock.  "We  dared  not  go  to  sleep,  so  we  re- 
mained there  till  daylight,  listening  to  the  howling  of 
the  animals.  We  none  of  us  spoke,  and  I  presume  that 
Hastings'  and  Homer's  thoughts  were  the  same  as  my 
own,  which  were  that  I  would  have  given  a  great  deal 
to  find  myself  safe  and  sound  again  within  the  prison 
walls.  However,  daylight  came  at  last ;  the  wild  beasts 
did  not  prowl  any  more ;  we  walked  on  till  we  found  a 
stream  of  water,  where  we  sat  down  and  took  our 
breakfast,  after  which  our  courage  revived,  and  we 
talked  and  laughed  as  we  walked  on,  just  as  we  had 
done  before.  We  now  began  to  ascend  the  mountains, 
which  Hastings  said  must  be  the  Swartz  or  Black 
Mountains  that  the  soldiers  had  talked  to  us  about — 
they  might  be,  for  all  I  knew,  but  they  were  very 
desolate ;  and  when  night  came  on  we  collected  the 
brushwood,  and  cut  down  branches  with  our  large 
knives,  that  we  might  make  a  fire,  not  only  to  warm 
ourselves,  but  to  scare  away  the  wild  beasts,  whose 
howling  had  already  commenced.  We  saw  two  or 
three  during  the  daytime,  sunning  themselves  on  the 
flat  rocks — one  was  a  panther;  we  had  loaded  our 
guns  ;  as  we  passed  it  showed  its  white  teeth,  but  did 
not  move ;  the  others  were  too  far  off  for  us  to  dis- 
tinguish what  they  were.  We  lighted  our  fire  and  eat 
our  supper;  the  loaf  was  half -gone,  and  the  hams 
had  been  well  cut  into — we  knew,  therefore,  that  very 
soon  we  should  have  to  trust  to  our  guns  for  procuring 
food.  As  soon  as  we  had  finished  our  meal  we  lay 


240  MASTERMAN  READY. 

down  by  the  fire,  with  our  muskets  loaded  close  to  us, 
and  our  ammunition  placed  out  of  danger.  We  were 
so  tired  that  we  were  soon  fast  asleep.  It  had  been 
agreed  that  Romer  should  keep  the  first  watch,  and 
Hastings  the  middle,  and  I  the  morning ;  but  Romer 
fell  asleep,  and  the  consequence  was  that  the  fire  was 
not  kept  up.  It  was  about  midnight  that  I  was 
awakened  by  something  breathing  hard  in  my  face, 
and  just  as  I  could  recall  my  senses  and  open  my  eyes 
I  found  myself  lifted  up  by  my  waistband,  and  the 
teeth  of  some  animal  pinching  my  flesh.  I  tried  to 
catch  at  my  musket,  but  I  put  out  my  wrong  hand,  and 
laid  hold  of  a  still  lighted  brand  out  of  the  fire,  which 
I  darted  into  the  animal's  face ;  it  let  me  drop  directly, 
and  ran  away." 

"  What  a  providential  escape !"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  it  was,  ma'am ;  the  animal  was  a  hyena.  For- 
tunately they  are  a  very  cowardly  sort  of  beast ;  still,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  lighted  stick,  it  would  have  carried 
me  off,  for  I  was  very  small  then ;  and  it  lifted  me  up 
as  if  I  was  a  feather  in  its  mouth.  The  shout  I  gave 
woke  Hastings,  who  seized  his  musket  and  fired.  I 
was  very  much  frightened,  as  you  may  suppose.  As 
for  Romer,  he  never  woke  till  we  pushed  him  hard,  he 
was  so  completely  knocked  up.  This  affair,  of  course, 
made  us  more  cautious,  and  afterward  we  lighted  two 
fires,  and  slept  between  them,  one  always  remaining 
on  the  watch.  For  a  week  we  traveled  on,  and  as  soon 
as  we  were  over  the  mountains  we  turned  our  heads  to 
the  northward.  We  now  were  away  from  rocks  and 
brushwood,  and  entered  a  large  plain.  Our  provisions 
were  all  gone,  and  we  were  one  day  without  any ;  but 
we  killed  an  antelope  called  a  springbok,  which  gave 


MASTERMAN  READY.  241 

us  provisions  for  three  or  four  days;  there  was  no 
want  of  game  after  we  had  descended  into  the  plain. 
I  forgot  to  mention,  however,  a  narrow  escape  we  had, 
just  before  we  had  left  an  extensive  forest  on  the  side  of 
the  mountain.  We  had  walked  till  past  noon,  and 
were  very  much  tired;  we  decided  upon  taking  our 
dinner  under  a  large  tree,  and  we  threw  ourselves 
down  in  the  shade.  Hastings  was  lying  on  his  back, 
with  his  eyes  looking  upward,  when  he  perceived  on  a 
lower  branch  of  the  tree  a  panther,  which  lay  along  it, 
his  green  eyes  fixed  upon  us,  and  ready  to  spring ;  he 
seized  his  musket  and  fired  it  without  taking  aim,  for 
there  was  no  time ;  but  the  ball  entered  the  stomach  of 
the  animal,  and,  as  it  appeared,  divided  its  backbone. 
Down  came  the  beast  within  three  or  four  feet  of 
where  we  lay,  with  a  loud  roar,  and  immediately 
crouched  to  spring  upon  Romer ;  but  it  could  not,  for, 
the  backbone  being  broken,  it  had  not  any  power  in 
its  hinder  quarters,  so  it  raised  up  its  forequarters,  and 
then  dropped  down  again.  I  never  saw  such  rage  and 
fury  in  an  animal  in  my  life.  As  first  we  were  too 
much  frightened  to  fire ;  but,  perceiving  that  the  beast 
could  not  spring,  Hastings  snatched  the  musket  from 
Romer,  and  shot  it  through  the  head." 

"  That  was,  indeed,  another  wonderful  escape," 
observed  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  It  was,  ma'am ;  but  do  you  know,  we  cared  less 
for  danger  every  time  we  ran  into  it.  We  were  now 
obliged  to  hunt  for  our  livelihood,  and  we  became 
bolder  than  ever.  Our  clothes  were  all  in  rags ;  but 
we  had  plenty  of  powder  and  ammunition  ;  there  were 
hundreds  and  hundreds  of  antelopes  and  gnus  in  the 
plain — indeed,  sometimes  it  was  impossible  to  count 


242  MASTERMAN  READY. 

them.  We  didn't  want  for  provisions,  I  assure  you ; 
but  this  plentiful  supply  of  game  was  the  cause  of  our 
being  in  great  danger,  for  now,  for  the  first  time,  we 
heard  the  roar  of  the  lions  every  night.  Of  all  the 
noises  I  ever  heard  it  is  certainly  the  one  which,  to 
my  mind,  is  the  most  terrible.  We  made  large  fires 
to  keep  them  off,  but  I  assure  you  they  often  made  us 
tremble  when  they  came  near  to  us." 

"  Did  you  ever  meet  with  one  in  the  daytime  ?"  said 
William. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  we  often  saw  them,  but  the}7  never 
attacked  us,  and  we  were  too  much  afraid  to  fire  at 
them.  Once  we  met  one  face  to  face.  We  had  killed 
an  antelope  called  a  hart-beest,  and  with  our  muskets 
on  our  shoulders,  were  running  to  secure  it,  having 
marked  where  it  fell  in  the  high  grass.  Just  as  we 
came  up  to  the  spot  of  grass  we  heard  a  roar,  and 
found  ourselves  not  ten  yards  from  a  lion,  who  was 
lying  on  the  top  of  the  beast  we  had  killed,  his  eyes 
flashing  fire  at  us,  and  half -raising  himself,  as  if  ready 
for  a  spring.  We  all  took  to  our  heels  as  fast  as  we 
could.  I  never  looked  back  till  I  was  out  of  breath ; 
but  the  lion  was  content  with  our  running  away,  and 
did  not  take  the  trouble  to  follow  us.  We  went  to 
sleep  that  night  without  our  supper.  Well,  sir,  we 
had  been  traveling,  we  really  hardly  knew  where,  but 
certainly  in  a  northerly  direction,  for  three  weeks,  and 
were  quite  worn  out ;  we  now  all  agreed  that  we  had 
done  a  very  foolish  thing,  and  would  gladly  have  gone 
back  again.  We  walked  along  the  whole  day  without 
speaking  to  one  another,  except  when  it  was  necessary 
to  hunt  for  provisions  ;  for  my  part,  I  declare  that  I 
was  willing  to  lie  down  and  die,  if  I  could  have  so  done, 


MASTEEM AN  HEADY,  243 

and  I  became  quite  indifferent  to  the  roaring  of  the 
lions,  and  felt  as  if  I  should  be  glad  if  one  would  have 
made  a  meal  of  me ;  when  one  morning  we  fell  in  with 
a  party  of  natives.  We  could  not  speak  to  them,  but 
they  appeared  very  peaceable  and  well  disposed,  They 
were  of  the  Karoo  tribe,  as  they  told  us  by  pointing  to 
themselves,  and  saying,  'Karoos;'  and  then  they 
pointed  to  us  and  said,  '  Dutch.'  "We  shot  game  and 
gave  it  to  them,  which  pleased  them  very  much  ;  and 
they  remained  with  us  for  five  or  six  days.  We  tried 
by  signs  to  inquire  of  them  if  there  were  any  Dutch 
settlement  about  there ;  and  they  understood  us,  and 
said  that  there  was,  in  a  direction  which  they  pointed 
out  to  us,  to  the  northeast.  We  offered  them  a  present 
if  they  would  show  us  the  way ;  for  we  had  made  up 
our  minds  that  we  would  give  ourselves  up  to  the 
Dutch,  and  go  back  to  prison.  Two  of  the  men  agreed 
to  go  with  us ;  the  rest  of  the  tribe,  with  the  women 
and  children,  went  southward.  The  next  day  we 
arrived  at  a  Dutch  settlement  of  three  or  four  farnv 
houses,  called  Graef  Reynets ;  but  I  must  leave  off 
now,  for  it  is  past  bedtime." 


244  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  XXXVIII. 

ROMER     KILLED     BY     A      LION, 

THE  construction  of  the  fish-pond  proceeded  rapidly, 
and  on  the  third  day  it  was  nearly  complete.  As  soon 
as  all  the  walls  were  finished  Ready  threw  out  sand 
and  shingle,  so  as  to  make  the  part  next  to  the  beach 
nearly  as  deep  as  the  other ;  so  that  there  might  be 
sufficient  water  to  prevent  the  gulls  and  man-of-war 
birds  from  darting  down  and  striking  the  fish.  While 
Ready  was  thus  employed  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William 
collected  more  rocks,  so  as  to  divide  the  pond  into  four 
parts,  at  the  same  time  allowing  a  communication  be- 
tween each  part.  These  inside  walls,  as  well  as  the 
outside,  were  made  of  sufficient  width  to  walk  upon ; 
by  which  means  they  would  have  all  the  fish  within 
reach  of  the  spear,  in  case  they  wished  to  take  them 
out.  The  day  after  the  pond  was  completed  the 
weather  changed,  but  the  storms  were  not  so  violent 
as  at  the  commencement  of  the  rainy  season.  The 
rain  poured  down  with  great  force,  but  it  was  not  ac- 
companied with  such  terrific  thunder  and  lightning, 
nor  were  the  storms  of  so  long  continuance,  generally 
clearing  up  after  a  few  hours.  In  the  intervals  of  fine 
weather  they  caught  a  great  many  fish,  which  they 
put  into  the  pond,  so  that  it  was  well  stocked.  But  a 
circumstance  occurred  which  was  the  occasion  of  great 


MASTERMAN  READY.  245 

alarm  to  them  all ;  which  was,  that  one  evening  "Will- 
iam was  taken  with  a  shivering,  and  complained  very 
much  of  a  pain  in  his  head.  Ready  had  promised  to 
continue  his  narrative  on  that  evening,  but  William 
was  too  ill  to  sit  up.  He  was  put  into  bed,  and  the 
next  morning  he  was  in  a  violent  fever.  Mr.  -Seagrave 
was  much  alarmed,  as  the  symptoms  were  worse  every 
hour ;  and  Ready,  who  had  sat  up  with  him  during  the 
night,  called  Mr.  Seagrave  out  of  the  house,  and  said : 
"  This  is  a  bad  case,  sir  ;  Master  "William  was  working 
yesterday  with  his  hat  off,  and  I  fear  that  he  has  been 
struck  by  the  sun.  It's  a  pity  but  we  had  'some  one 
who  could  take  some  blood  from  him." 

"  I  have  a  lancet,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  I  really 
have  never  bled  anybody  in  my  life." 

"  Nor  have  I,  sir ;  but  if  you  have  a  lancet,  I  think 
it  is  our  duty  to  try.  If  you  think  that  you  cannot,  I 
will  do  my  best ;  it  is  a  very  simple  operation." 

"  Well,  Ready,  one  of  us  must  do  it,  I  believe." 

"  Perhaps  my  hand  will  be  most  steady  in  this  in- 
stance, sir,"  observed  Ready;  "  I'm  fearful  of  the  fever 
going  to  his  brain." 

"  I  would  prefer  your  attempting  it,  Ready,  I  must 
say,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  my  hand  would  not  be 
steady,  I  tremble  so  for  my  dear  child." 

They  went  into  the  house  again.  Mr.  Seagrave 
found  his  lancet,  and  Ready  bound  up  William's  arm. 
As  soon  as  the  vein  was  swelled,  he  held  it  firm  under 
the  ball  of  his  thumb,  and  was  successful  in  the  first 
attempt.  By  the  advice  of  Ready,  a  great  deal  of 
blood  was  taking  from  the  sufferer,  who  appeared  to 
be  much  relieved  by  the  operation.  His  arm  was  then 
bandaged,  and  having  drunk  a  little  water,  which  he 


246  MASTERMAN  READY. 

asked  for,  he  again  was  laid  upon  his  pillow.  The 
next  day  the  fever  was  as  violent  as  ever.  William, 
was  bled  again,  and  his  mother  watched  over  him  with 
anxiety  and  in  tears.  The  poor  boy  was  for  many 
days  in  great  danger ;  and  the  cheerful  house  was  now 
one  of  gloom,  and  silence.  How  fervent  were  now  the 
morning  and  evening  prayers ;  how  often  during  the 
day  did  his  parents  offer  up  a  petition  to  Heaven  for 
their  dear  boy's  recovery.  The  weather  became  finer 
every  day,  and  it  was  almost  impossible  to  keep  Tom- 
my quiet ;  Juno  went  out  with  him  and  Albert  every 
morning,  and  kept  them  with  her  while  she  cooked ; 
and  fortunately  Vixen  had  pupped,  and,  when  Juno 
could  no  longer  amuse  them,  she  brought  them  two  of 
the  puppies  to  play  with.  As  for  the  quiet,  meek  little 
Caroline,  she  would  remain  during  the  whole  day 
holding  her  mother's  hand,  and  watching  her  brother, 
or  working  with  her  needle  by  the  side  of  his  bed. 

Eeady,  who  could  not  be  idle,  had  taken  the  ham- 
mer and  cold  chisel  to  make  the  salt-pan,  at  which  he 
worked  during  those  portions  of  the  day  in  which  his 
services  were  not  required  indoors ;  and  as  he  sat 
chipping  away  the  rock,  his  thoughts  were  ever  upon 
"William,  for  he  dearly  loved  the  boy  for  his  amiable 
disposition  and  his  cleverness ;  and  many  a  time  during 
the  day  would  he  stop  his  work,  and  the  tears  would 
run  down  his  cheeks,  as  he  offered  up  his  petition  to 
the  Almighty,  that  the  boy  might  be  spared  to  his 
afflicted  parents.  And  those  prayers  were  heard,  for, 
on  the  ninth  day,  William  was  pronounced  by  Ready 
and  Mr.  Seagrave  to  have  much  less  fever,  and  shortly 
afterward  it  left  him  altogether  ;  but  he  was  so  weak 
that  he  could  not  raise  himself  in  his  bed  for  two  or 


MASTERMA  N  READ  T.  247 

three  days  ;  and  it  was  not  till  more  than  a  fortnight 
after  the  fever  had  left  him  that  he  could  go  out  of  the 
house.  The  joy  that  was  expressed  by  them  all  when 
the  change  took  place  may  be  imagined ;  nor  were  the 
thanksgivings  less  fervent  than  had  been  the  prayers. 
During  his  convalescence,  as  there  was  nothing  else  to, 
Mr.  Seagrave  and  Ready,  who  now  went  gladly  to 
their  work,  determined,  as  the  salt-pan  was  finished, 
that  they  would  make  a  bathing-place.  Juno  came  to 
their  assistance,  and  was  very  useful  in  assisting  to 
drag  the  wheels  which  brought  the  rocks  and  stones  ; 
and  Tommy  was  also  brought  down,  that  he  might  be 
out  of  the  way  while  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  Caroline 
watched  the  invalid.  By  the  time  that  William  was 
able  to  go  out  of  the  house,  the  bathing-place  was  fin- 
ished, and  there  was  no  longer  any  fear  of  the  sharks. 
William  came  down  to  the  beach  with  his  mother,  and 
looked  at  the  work  which  had  been  done  ;  he  was  much 
pleased  with  it,  and  said :  "  ISTow,  Ready,  we  have  fin- 
ished everything  at  home  for  the  present ;  all  we  have 
to  do  is  to  explore  the  island,  and  to  go  to  the  cove  and 
examine  our  collection  from  the  wreck." 

"  Very  true,  Master  William ;  and  the  weather  has 
been  so  fine  that  I  think  we  may  venture  upon  one  or 
the  other  in  a  few  days  more ;  but  not  till  you  are 
stronger,  for  you  must  not  be  left  alone  with  your 
mamma  until  you  are  quite  well." 
"  Be  left,  Ready  ;  why,  I  was  to  go  with  you." 
"No,  Master  William,  that  cannot  be  now.  Sup- 
pose we  were  to  have  a  storm,  and  you  were  to  get 
wet,  and  have  to  sleep  in  your  wet  clothes,  you  might 
be  taken  with  the  fever  again,  and  that  when  you 
were  a  long  way  from  home ;  we  must  be  prudent  for 


248  MASTERMAN  READY. 

a  time.  Sit  down  on  the  rock  and  enjoy  that  nice 
breeze,  it  will  do  you  good ;  but  you  must  not  stay  too 
long." 

"  I  shall  soon  be  strong  again,  Ready ;  thank  God 
for  His  goodness." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  Master  "William ;  and  we 
have  good  reason  to  thank  God,  for  we  could  ill  spare 
you.  I  am  going  to  take  a  turtle  out  of  the  pond,  for 
we  must  feed  you  well,  and  make  you  strong." 

"  It's  a  long  while  since  you  have  gone  on  with  your 
story,  Ready,"  said  William,  after  they  had  taken  their 
supper ;  "  I  wish  you  would  do  so  now,  as  I  am  sure  I 
shall  not  be  tired." 

"  With  pleasure,  Master  William,"  replied  Ready  ; 
"  but  can  you  remember  where  I  left  off,  for  my  mem- 
ory is  none  of  the  best." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  if  you  recollect,  you  had  just  arrived  at 
a  Dutch  farmer's  house,  in  company  with  the  savages 
at  a  place  called  Graef  Reynets,  I  think." 

"  Very  true,  sir.  Well,  then,  the  Dutch  farmer  came 
out  when  he  saw  us  coming,  and  asked  us  who  we 
were.  We  told  him  that  we  were  English  prisoners, 
and  that  we  wished  to  give  ourselves  up  to  the  authori- 
ties. He  took  away  our  arms  and  ammunition,  and 
said  that  he  was  the  authority  in  that  part,  which  was 
true  enough  ;  and  then  he  said,  '  You'll  not  run  away 
without  arms  and  ammunition,  that's  certain.  As  for 
sending  you  to  the  Cape,  that  I  may  not  be  able  to  do 
for  months  ;  so  if  you  wish  to  be  fed  well  you  must 
work  well  while  you're  here.'  We  replied  that  we 
should  be  very  glad  to  make  ourselves  useful,  and  then 
he  sent  us  some  dinner,  by  a  Hottentot  girl,  and 
showed  us  a  small  room  for  us  to  sleep  in.  But  we 


MASTERMAN  HEADY.  249 

soon  found  out  that  we  had  to  deal  with  an  ill-tem- 
pered, brutal  fellow ;  and  that  he  gave  us  plenty  of 
hard  work,  but  by  no  means  plenty  of  food.  He  would 
not  trust  us  with  guns,  so  the  Hottentots  went  out 
with  the  cattle,  but  he  gave  us  plenty  of  work  to  do 
about  the  house ;  and  at  last  he  treated  us  very  cruelly. 
When  he  was  short  of  provisions  for  the  Hottentots 
and  other  slaves,  of  whom  he  had  a  good  many,  he 
would  go  out  with  the  other  farmers  who  lived  near 
him,  and  shoot  quaggas  for  them  to  eat.  Nobody  but 
a  Hottentot  could  live  upon  such  flesh." 

"  What  is  a  quagga  ?" 

"  A  wild  ass,  partly  covered  with  stripes,  but  not  so 
much  as  the  zebra ;  a  pretty  animal  to  look  at,  but  the 
flesh  is  very  bad.  Well,  sir,  he  at  last  would  give  us 
nothing  to  eat  but  quaggas,  the  same  as  the  Hotten- 
tots, while  he  and  his  family — for  he  had  a  wife  and 
five  children — lived  upon  mutton  and  the  flesh  of  the 
antelope,  which  is  very  excellent  eating.  We  asked 
him  to  allow  us  a  gun  to  procure  better  food,  and  he 
kicked  Homer  so  unmercifully  that  he  could  not  work 
for  two  days  afterward.  As  for  the  poor  Hottentots 
and  slaves,  they  were  flogged  every  day  with  a  whip 
made  of  the  hide  of  a  rhinoceros,  a  terrible  thing, 
which  cut  into  the  flesh  at  every  blow.  Our  lives  be- 
came quite  a  burden  to  us  ;  we  were  employed  all  day 
on  the  farm,  one  way  or  another,  and  every  day  he 
was  more  brutal  toward  us.  At  last  we  agreed  that 
we  would  stand  it  no  longer,  and  one  evening  Hastings 
told  him  so.  This  put  him  into  a  great  rage,  and  he 
called  two  of  the  slaves,  and  ordered  them  to  tie  him 
to  the  wagon-wheel,  swearing  that  he  would  cut  every 
bit  of  skin  off  his  body,  and  he  went  into  his  house  to 


250  MASTERMAN  READY. 

get  his  whip.  The  slaves  had  hold  of  Hastings,  and 
were  tying  him  up,  for  they  dared  not  disobey  their 
master,  when  he  said  to  us :  '  If  I  am  flogged  this  way, 
it  will  be  all  over  with  us.  Now's  your  time ;  run  back 
behind  the  house,  and  when  he  comes  out  with  the 
whip,  do  you  go  in  and  seize  the  muskets,  which  are 
always  ready  loaded.  Hold  him  at  bay  till  I  get  clear, 
and  then  we  will  get  away  somehow  or  another.  You 
must  do  it,  for  I  am  sure  he  will  flog  me  till  I  am 
dead,  and  he  will  shoot  you  as  runaway  prisoners,  as 
he  did  his  two  Hottentots  the  other  day.'  As  Komer 
and  I  thought  this  very  probable,  we  did  as  Hastings 
told  us ;  and  when  the  Dutchman  had  gone  toward  him 
where  he  was  tied  up,  about  fifty  yards  from  the  house, 
we  went  in.  The  farmer's  wife  was  in-  bed,  having 
just  given  birth  to  another  child,  and  the  children  we 
cared  not  for.  We  seized  two  muskets  and  a  large 
knife,  and  came  out  just  as  the  Dutchman  had  struck 
the  first  blow  with  the  rhinoceros  whip,  which  was  so 
severe  that  it  took  away  poor  Hastings'  breath.  We 
went  up ;  he  turned  round  and  saw  us ;  we  leveled  our 
muskets  at  him,  and  he  stopped.  'Another  blow,  and 
we'll  shoot  you,'  cried  Homer.  '  Yes,'  cried  I ;  'we  are 
only  boys,  but  you've  Englishmen  to  deal  with.'  When 
he  came  up  Romer  kept  his  piece  leveled  at  the  Dutch- 
man, while  I  passed  him,  and  with  the  knife  cut  the 
thongs  which  bound  Hastings.  The  Dutchman  turned 
pale  and  did  not  speak,  he  was  so  frightened,  and  the 
slaves  ran  away.  As  soon  as  Hastings  was  free  he 
seized  a  large  wooden  mallet,  used  for  driving  in  stakes, 
and  struck  the  Dutchman  down  to  the  earth,  crying 
out,  '  That,  for  flogging  an  Englishman,  you  rascal.' 
While  the  man  lay  senseless  or  dead — I  didn't  know 


MASTERMAN  READY.  251 

which  at  the  time — we  tied  him  to  the  wagon-wheels, 
and  returning  to  the  house,  seized  some  ammunition 
and  other  articles  which  might  be  useful.  We  then 
went  to  the  stables  and  took  the  three  best  horses  which 
the  Dutchman  had,  put  some  corn  in  a  sack  for  each 
of  them,  took  some  cord  for  halters,  mounted,  and  rode 
away  as  fast  as  we  could.  As  we  knew  that  we  should 
be  pursued,  we  first  galloped  away  as  if  we  were  going 
eastward,  to  the  Cape ;  and  then,  as  soon  as  we  were 
on  ground  which  would  not  show  the  tracks  of  our 
horses'  hoofs,  we  turned  round  to  the  northward,  in 
the  direction  of  the  Bushman  country.  It  was  dark 
soon  after  we  had  altered  our  course  ;  but  we  traveled 
all  night,  and  although  we  heard  the  roaring  of  •  the 
lions  at  a  distance,  we  met  with  no  accident.  At  day- 
light we  rested  our  horses,  and  gave  them  some  corn, 
and  then  sat  down  to  eat  some  of  the  provisions  we 
had  brought  with  us." 

"  How  long  were  you  with  the  farmer  at  Graef 
Reynets  ?" 

"  Nearly  eight  months,  sir ;  and  during  that  time  we 
could  not  only  speak  Dutch,  but  we  could  make  our- 
selves understood  by  the  Hottentots  and  other  natives ; 
besides  which,  we  had  a  good  knowledge  of  the  country, 
and  knew  what  to  do  when  we  traveled.  While  we 
were  eating  we  held  a  consultation  how  we  should 
proceed. 

We  were  aware  that  the  Dutchmen  would  shoot  us 
if  they  came  up  with  us,  and  that  they  would  come  out 
in  strong  force  against  us ;  and  we  were  afraid  that 
we  had  killed  the  man,  and  if  so,  they  would  hang 
us  as  soon  as  we  got  to  the  Cape ;  so  we  were  at  a 
great  los?  to  know  how  to  act.  At  last  we  decided 


252  MASTERMAN  READY. 

that  we  would  cross  the  country  of  the  Bushmen, 
and  get  to  the  seaside,  to  the  northward  of  the  Cape. 
Having  done  talking,  we  took  the  saddles  off  our 
horses,  and  tethered  them  where  there  was  good  grass  ; 
for,  you  see,  sir,  if  we  had  not  made  them  fast  they 
would  have  galloped  back  to  the  farm.  "We  deter- 
mined that  it  would  be  better  to  travel  at  night,  as 
there  would  be  less  fear  of  the  wild  beasts,  or  of  being 
seen  ;  so  we  went  fast  asleep  for  many  hours.  Toward 
the  evening  we  found  water  for  the  horses,  and  then 
we  fed  them  again,  and  proceeded  on  our  journey. 
I  won't  tell  what  passed  every  day  for  a  fortnight,  by 
which  time  we  had  pretty  well  killed  our  horses,  and 
we  were  compelled  to  stop  among  a  tribe  of  Gorraguas, 
I  think  they  called  them,  a  very  mild,  inoffensive 
people,  who  supplied  us  with  milk,  and  treated  us  very 
kindly.  We  had  some  adventures,  nevertheless.  One 
day,  as  we  were  passing  by  a  tuft  of  small  trees,  a 
rhinoceros  charged  upon  my  horse,  which  very  nar- 
rowly escaped  by  wheeling  short  round  and  getting 
behind  him  ;  the  beast  then  made  off  without  meddling 
with  us  any  more.  Every  day  we  used  to  shoot  some 
animal  or  other  for  provision ;  sometimes  it  was  a 
gnu,  a  very  curious  creature,  something  between  an 
antelope  and  a  bull ;  at  other  times  it  was  one  of  the 
antelope  kind — there  were  plenty  of  them. 

"  Well,  we  stayed  for  three  weeks  with  these  people  ; 
and  gave  our  horses  time  to  refresh  themselves ;  and 
then  we  set  off  again,  keeping  more  toward  the  coast 
as  we  went  southward,  for  the  Gorraguas  told  us  that 
there  was  a  fierce  native  tribe,  called  Kaffers,  to  the 
northward,  who  would  certainly  kill  us  if  we  went 
there.  The  fact  is  we  did  not  know  what  to  do. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  253 

We  had  left  the  Cape  without  any  exact  idea  where 
we  should  go  to,  like  foolish  boys  as  we  were,  and  we 
became  more  entangled  with  difficulties  every  day. 
At  last  we  decided  that  it  would  be  better  to  find  our 
way  back  to  the  Cape,  and  deliver  ourselves  up  as 
prisoners,  for  we  were  tired  out  with  fatigue  and  con- 
stant danger.  All  that  we  were  afraid  of  was  that 
we  had  killed  the  Dutch  farmer  at  Graef  Reynets,  who 
had  treated  us  so  brutally ;  but  Hastings  said  he  did 
not  care ;  that  was  his  business,  and  he  would  take  his 
chance ;  so  when  we  bade  adieu  to  the  Gorraguas,  who 
were  quite  satisfied  with  our  presenting  them  with  all 
the  buttons  we  could  spare,  we  turned  our  horses' 
heads  to  the  southeast,  so  to  make  the  sea  and  go  to 
the  southward  at  the  same  time. 

"  I  have  now  to  mention  a  most  melancholy  event 
which  occurred.  Two  days  after  we  had  recommenced 
our  travels,  in  passing  through  some  high  grass,  we 
stumbled  on  a  lion,  which  was  devouring  a  gnu. 
Homer,  who  happened  to  be  some  ten  yards  foremost 
of  the  three,  was  so  alarmed  that  he  fired  at  the 
animal,  which  we  had  agreed  never  to  do,  as  it  was 
folly  to  enrage  so  powerful  a  beast,  when  our  party 
was  so  small.  The  lion  was  slightly  wounded ;  he  gave 
a  roar  that  might  have  been  heard  for  a  mile,  sprung 
upon  Romer,  and  with  one  blow  of  his  paw  knocked 
him  off  the  saddle  into  the  bushes.  Our  horses,  which 
were  frightened,  wheeled  round  and  fled,  for  the 
animal  was  evidently  about  to  attack  us.  As  it  was, 
he  did  make  one  bound  in  our  direction ;  we  could  not 
pull  up  until  we  had  gone  half  a  mile ;  and  when  we 
did,  we  saw  the  lion  had  torn  down  the  horse  which 
Romer  had  ridden,  and  was  dragging  away  the  carcass 


254  MASTEBMAN  READY. 

to  the  right  at  a  sort  of  a  canter,  without  any  apparent 
effort  on  his  part.  We  waited  till  he  was  well  off,  and 
then  rode  back  to  the  spot  where  Rovner  had  fallen  ; 
we  soon  found  him,  but  he  was  quite  dead ;  the  blow 
with  the  lion's  paw  had  fractured  his  skull. 

"  "We  had  no  means  of  burying  him,  poor  fellow  !  so 
we  covered  him  up  with  bushes,  and  left  him.  We 
were  both  very  melancholy,  indeed,  as  I  rode  on  ;  I 
cried  for  nearly  an  hour,  and  Hastings  never  spoke  a 
word  until  it  was  time  for  us  to  rest  the  horses.  I 
ought  to  have  said  that  the  Gorraguas  told  us  not  to 
travel  by  night,  but  by  day ;  and  we  had  done  so  in 
consequence  of  their  advice,  i  believe  it  was  very 
good  advice,  notwithstanding  this  unfortunate  acci- 
dent, for  we  found  that  when  we  had  traveled  all  night 
the  lions  had  more  than  once  followed  us  the  whole 
time  ;  and  indeed  I  have  often  thought  since  that  we 
were  altogether  indebted  to  His  mercy  who  ordereth 
all  things,  both  in  heaven  and  earth,  that  we  escaped 
so  well  as  we  did.  Three  days  after  poor  Komer's 
death  we  first  saw  the  wide  ocean  again ;  and  it  ap- 
peared to  us  as  if  we  had  fallen  in  with  an  old  friend. 
We  kept  near  the  coast,  but  we  soon  found  out  that  we 
could  not  obtain  the  supply  of  game,  or  fuel  for  our 
fires  at  night,  so  well  as  we  could  in  the  interior,  and 
we  agreed  to  get  away  from  the  coast  again.  We  had 
a  dreary  plain  to  pass  over,  and  we  were  quite  faint 
for  want  of  food — for  we  had  been  without  any  for 
nearly  two  days — when  we  came  upon  an  ostrich. 
Hastings  put  his  horse  to  his  speed,  but  it  was  of  no 
use — the  ostrich  ran  much  faster  than  the  horse  could. 
I  remained  behind,  and,  to  my  great  joy,  discovered 
his  nest  with  thirteen  large  eggs  in  it.  Hastings  soon 


MASTERMAN  READY.  255 

came  back,  with  his  horse  panting  and  out  of  wind. 
We  sat  down,  lighted  a  fire,  and  roasted  two  of  the 
eggs ;  we  made  a  good  dinner  of  them,  and  having 
put  four  more  on  our  saddle-bows,  we  continued  our 
journey.  For  three  weeks  more  we  had  nothing  but 
difficulty  and  suffering.  One  forenoon  at  last  we  saw 
the  Table  Mountain,  and  were  as  glad  to  see  it  as  if 
we  had  seen  the  white  cliffs  of  Old  England.  We 
pushed  on  our  horses,  with  the  hopes  of  being  once 
more  comfortably  in  prison  before  night ;  when,  as  we 
neared  the  bay,  we  observed  that  English  colors  were 
flying  on  board  of  the  vessels  in  the  road.  This  sur- 
prised us  very  much ;  but  soon  after  that  we  met  an 
English  soldier,  who  told  us  that  the  Cape  had  been 
taken  by  our  forces  more  than  six  months  ago.  This 
was  a  joyful  surprise,  as  you  may  suppose.  We 
rode  into  the  town,  and  reported  ourselves  to  the 
main-guard  ;  the  govorner  sent  for  us,  heard  our  story, 
and  sent  us  to  the  admiral,  who  took  us  on  board  of 
his  own  ship.  "Now,  Master  William,  as  this  is  a 
good  place  to  leave  off  at,  and  you  must  be  rather 
tired,  I  think  we  had  better  all  go  to  bed." 


256  MASTERM AN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  XXXIX. 

MORE  OF  KEADY'S  ADVENTURES. 

THE  next  morning,  as  there  was  no  particular  work 
on  hand,  Ready  and  Mr.  Seagrave  took  the  lines  to  add 
to  the  stock  of  the  fish-pond.  As  the  weather  was  fine 
and  cool,  William  accompanied  them,  that  he  might 
have  the  benefit  of  the  fresh  air.  As  they  passed  the 
garden,  they  observed  that  the  seeds  sown  had  already 
sprung  up  an  inch  or  two  above  the  ground,  and  that, 
apparently,  none  of  them  had  missed.  While  Ready 
and  Mr.  Seagrave  were  fishing,  and  William  sitting 
near  them,  William  said  to  his  father : 

"  Many  of  the  islands  near  us  are  inhabited  ;  are 
they  not,  papa  ?" 

"  Yes,  but  not  those  very  near  us,  I  believe.  At  all 
events,  I  never  heard  any  voyagers  mention  having 
seen  inhabitants  on  the  isles  near  which  we  suppose 
the  one  we  are  on  to  be." 

"What  sort  of  people  are  the  islanders  in  these 
seas  ?" 

"  They  are  various.  The  New  Zealanders  are  the 
most  advanced  in  civilization,  but  still  they  are  said  to 
be  cannibals.  The  natives  of  Van  Diemen's  Land  and 
Australia  are  some  portions  of  them  of  a  very  degraded 
class — indeed,  little  better  than  the  beasts  of  the  field ; 


MASTERMAN  READY.  257 

I  believe  them  to  be  the  lowest  in  the  scale  of  all  the 
human  race." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  Ready,  "  but  I  have  seen 
them ;  and  I  think  I  can  mention  a  people,  not  very 
numerous  indeed,  who  are  still  more  like  the  beasts  of 
the  field.  I  saw  them  once  ;  and,  at  first,  thought  they 
were  animals,  and  not  human  beings." 

"  Indeed,  Ready  ;  where  may  that  be  ?" 

"  In  the  Great  Andaman  Isles,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Bay  of  Bengal. 

"  I  once  anchored  in  distress  in  Port  Cornwallis — a 
splendid  harbor,  which  would  hold  the  whole  English 
navy — and  the  morning  after  we  anchored  we  saw 
some  black  things  going  upon  all-fours  under  the  trees 
that  came  down  to  the  water's  edge.  We  got  the 
telescope — for  we  were  a  mile  or  more  off  the  shore — 
and  we  perceived  then  that  they  were  men  and  women, 
for  they  stood  upright." 

"  Did  you  ever  come  into  contact  with  them  ?" 

"  No,  sir,  I  did  not ;  but  I  met  at  Calcutta  a  soldier 
who  had ;  for  at  one  time  the  East  India  Company  in- 
tended making  a  settlement  on  the  island,  and  sent 
some  troops  there.  He  said  that  they  had  caught  two 
of  them ;  that  they  were  not  more  than  four  feet  high, 
excessively  stupid  and  shy ;  they  had  no  clothes  on  of 
any  description ;  they  had  no  houses  or  huts  to  live  in, 
and  all  that  they  did  was  to  pile  up  some  bushes  to 
keep  the  wind  off." 

"  Had  they  any  arms  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  they  had  bows  and  arrows ;  but  so  miser- 
ably made,  and  so  small,  that  they  could  not  kill  any- 
thing but  very  small  birds.  The  natives  let  fly 
several  arrows  at  the  soldiers  when  they  met,  and  the 


258  MASTERMAN  READY. 

soldiers  picked  them  out  of  their  coats,  for  they  had 
not  penetrated  any  further." 

"Well,  I  do  believe,  by  your  description,  that  the 
Andaman  Isles  natives  are  even  lower  in  the  scale  than 
the  New  Hollanders.  "What  did  they  do  with  the  two 
whom  they  captured  ?" 

"  Let  them  go  again,  sir  ;  for  they  would  not  speak 
or  eat,  and  they  would  have  died  had  they  been  kept." 

"  Where  did  the  people  come  from  who  inhabited 
these  islands,  papa  ?" 

"  That  is  difficult  to  say,  William ;  but  it  is  supposed 
that  they  have  become  inhabited  in  much  the  same 
way  as  this,  our  island,  has  been — that  is,  by  people  in 
canoes  or  boats  driven  out  to  sea,  and  saving  their 
lives  by  effecting  a  landing,  as  we  have  done." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Ready ;  "  I  believe  that's  the 
truth  ;  I  heard  say  that  the  Andaman  Isles  were  sup- 
posed to  have  been  first  inhabited  by  a  slaver  full  of 
negroes,  who  were  wrecked  on  the  coast  in  a  typhoon." 

"  What  is  a  typhoon,  Ready  ?" 

"  It  is  much  the  same  as  a  hurricane,  Master  Will- 
iam ;  it  comes  on  in  India  at  the  change  of  the 
monsoons." 

"  But  what  are  monsoons,  Ready  ?" 

"  Winds  that  blow  regular  from  one  quarter  so  many 
months  during  the  year,  and  then  change  round  and 
blow  another  just  as  long." 

"  And  what  are  the  trade  winds,  which  I  heard  poor 
Captain  Osborn  talking  about  after  we  left  Madeira  ?" 

"  The  trade  winds  blow  on  the  equator,  and  several 
degrees  north  and  south  of  it,  from  the  east  to  the 
west,  following  the  course  of  the  sun." 

"  Is  it  the  sun  which  produces  these  winds  ?" 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  259 

"  Yes ;  the  extreme  heat  of  the  sun  between  the 
tropics  rarifies  the  air  as  the  earth  turns  round,  and 
the  trade  winds  are  produced  by  the  rushing  in  of  the 
less  heated  air.  You  know  that  if  there  is  a  large  fire 
in  a  room,  there  is  a  continual  draught  of  cold  air 
rushing  into  the  room  toward  it ;  in  the  same  way  the 
heat  of  the  sun  produces  the  trade  winds." 

"  Yes,  Master  William ;  and  the  trade  winds  pro- 
duce -  what  they  call  the  Gulf  Stream,"  observed 
Eeady. 

"  How  is  that  ?     I  have  heard  it  spoken  of,  papa." 

"  The  winds,  constantly  following  the  sun  across'the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  and  blowing  from  east  to  west,  have 
great  effect  upon  the  sea,  which  is  forced  up  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  (where  it  is  stopped  by  the  shores  of 
America),  so  that  it  is  many  feet  higher  in  the  Gulf 
than  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Atlantic.  This  accumu- 
lation of  water  must  of  course  find  a  vent  somewhere, 
and  it  does  in  what  is  called  the  Gulf  Stream,  by 
which  the  waters  are  poured  out,  running  very  strong 
to  the  northward,  along  the  shores  of  America,  and 
then  westward,  passing  not  far  from  Newfoundland, 
until  its  strength  is  spent  somewhere  to  the  northward 
of  the  Azores,  or  Western  Isles,  which  you  remember 
seeing  on  the  chart  when  we  were  making  our  passage 
out." 

"The  Gulf  Stream,  Master  "William,"  said  Keady, 
"  is  always  several  degrees  warmer  than  the  sea  in 
general,  which  is,  they  say,  owing  to  its  waters  re- 
maining in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  so  long,  where  the  heat 
of  the  sun  is  so  great ;  and  we  always  know  when  we 
are  in  the  stream,  by  the  seaweed  which  it  brings  away 
with  it,  and  which  is  seen  floating  on  the  surface." 


260  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  the  land  and  sea  breezes,  in 
the  "West  Indies,  and  other  hot  climates,  papa?" 

"  It  is  the  wind  first  blowing  off  from  the  shore,  and 
then  blowing  from  the  sea  toward  the  shore,  during 
certain  hours  of  the  day,  which  it  does  regularly  every 
twenty-four  hours.  This  is  also  the  effect  of  the  heat 
of  the  sun.  The  sea  breeze  commences  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  in  the  afternoon  it  dies  away,  when  the  land 
breeze  commences,  which  lasts  till  midnight. 

"  You  observe,  William,"  continued  Mr.  Seagrave, 
"  that  all  these  effects,  in  tropical  countries,  are  pro- 
duced by  natural  causes ;  but  they  are,  nevertheless, 
proofs  of  the  goodness  of  that  Almighty  hand,  who 
has  so  fashioned  the  world  that  from  natural  causes, 
easy  to  be  explained,  effects  are  produced  which  are 
beneficial  to  mankind.  For  instance,  who  [could  in- 
habit the  islands  in  the  West  Indies,  if  the  land  and 
sea  breezes  did  not  regularly  blow,  so  as  to  cool  the 
heated  surface  of  the  earth  ?  In  the  same  way,  if  the 
trade  winds  did  not  continually  blow,  and  if  calms  and 
light  airs  prevailed  in  the  seas  which  are  under  the 
burning  sun  of  the  equator,  the  heat  would  be  such  as 
to  render  the  voyage  insupportable." 

"That  it  would,  sir,"  replied  Eeady;  "there  are 
latitudes  close  to  the  trade  winds  where  the  wind  is 
not  certain,  where  ships  have  been  becalmed  for  weeks ; 
the  crews  have  exhausted  the  water  on  board,  and  they 
have  suffered  dreadfully.  We  call  them  the  Horse 
latitudes — why,  I  do  not  know ;  but  I  believe  it  is  that 
the  horses  which  they  used  to  send  out  are,  of  course, 
the  first  sacrificed  when  the  water  runs  short.  But  it 
is  time  for  us  to  leave  off  and  for  Master  William  to  go 
into  the  house." 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  261 

They  returned  home,  and  after  supper  Ready  went 
on  with  his  narrative. 

"  I  left  off  at  the  time  that  I  was  sent  on  board  of 
the  man-of-war ;  and  I  was  put  down  on  the  books  as 
a  supernumerary  boy.  I  was  on  board  of  her  for 
nearly  four  years,  and  we  were  sent  about  from  port 
to  port,  and  from  clime  to  clime,  until  I  grew  a  strong, 
tall  lad,  and  was  put  into  the  mizzen-top.  I  found  it 
very  comfortable.  I  did  my  duty,  and  the  consequence 
was,  I  never  was  punished ;  for  a  man  may  serve  on 
board  of  a  man-of-war  without  fear  of  being  punished, 
if  he  only  does  his  duty,  and  the  duty  is  not  very  hard 
either;  not  like  on  board  of  the  merchant  vessels, 
where  there  are  so  few  hands — there  it  is  hard  work. 
Of  course,  there  are  some  captains  who  command  men- 
of-war  who  are  harsh  and  severe — what  they  call 
martinets  in  the  service ;  but  it  was  my  good  fortune 
to  be  with  a  very  mild  and  steady  captain,  who  was 
very  sorry  when  he  was  obliged  to  punish  the  men, 
although  he  would  not  overlook  any  improper  conduct. 
The  only  thing  which  was  a  source  of  constant  unhappi- 
ness  to  me  was  that  I  could  not  get  to  England  again, 
and  see  my  mother.  I  had  written  two  or  three  let- 
ters, but  never  had  an  answer ;  and  at  last  I  became  so 
impatient  that  I  determined  to  run  away  the  very  first 
opportunity  which  might  offer.  We  were  then  sta- 
tioned in  the  West  Indies,  and  I  had  very  often  consul- 
tations with  Hastings  on  the  subject,  for  he  was  quite 
as  anxious  to  get  away  as  I  was ;  and  we  had  agreed  that 
we  would  start  off  together  the  very  first  opportunity. 
At  last  we  anchored  in  Port  Royal,  Jamaica,  and 
there  was  a  large  convoy  of  West  India  ships,  laden 
with  sugar,  about  to  sail  immediately.  We  knew  that 


262  MASTERMAN  READY. 

if  we  could  get  on  board  of  one  they  would  secrete  us 
until  the  time  of  sailing,  for  they  were  short-handed 
enough,  the  men-of-war  having  pressed  every  man  they 
could  lay  their  hands  upon.  There  was  but  one  chance, 
and  that  was  by  swimming  on  board  of  one  of  the  ves- 
sels during  the  night-time,  and  that  was  easy  enough, 
as  they  were  anchored  not  a  hundred  yards  from  our  own 
ship.  What  we  were  afraid  of  were  the  sharks,  which 
were  so  plentiful  in  the  harbor.  However,  the  night 
before  the  convoy  was  to  sail  we  made  up  our  minds 
that  we  would  run  the  risk,  for  we  were  so  impatient 
to  escape  that  we  did  not  care  for  anything.  It  was  in 
the  middle  watch — I  recollect  it,  and  shall  recollect  it  all 
my  life,  as  if  it  were  last  night — that  we  lowered  our- 
selves down  very  softly  from  the  bows  of  the  ship,  and 
as  soon  as  we  were  in  the  water  we  struck  out  for  one 
of  the  West  Indiamen  close  to  us.  The  sentry  at  the 
gangway  saw  the  light  in  the  water  made  by  our 
swimming  through  it,  and  he  hailed,  of  course;  we 
gave  no  answer,  but  swam  as  fast  as  we  could ;  for, 
after  he  had  hailed,  we  heard  a  bustle,  and  we  knew 
that  the  officer  of  the  watch  was  manning  a  boat  to 
send  after  us.  I  had  just  caught  hold  of  the  cable  of 
the  West  Indiaman,  and  was  about  to  climb  up  by  it, 
for  I  was  a  few  yards  before  Hastings,  when  I  heard  a 
loud  shriek,  and,  turning  round,  perceived  a  shark 
plunging  down  with  Hastings  in  his  jaws.  I  was  so 
frightened  that  for  a  short  time  I  could  not  move ;  at 
last  I  recovered  myself,  and  began  to  climb  up  by  the 
cable  as  fast  as  I  could.  I  was  just  in  time,  for  an- 
other shark  made  a  rush  at  me ;  and  although  I  was 
clear  out  of  the  water  more  than  two  feet,  he  sprung 
up  and  just  caught  my  shoe  by  the  heel,  which  he  took 


MASTERMAN  READY.  263 

down  with  him.  Fear  gave  me  strength,  and  in  a  sec- 
ond or  two  afterward  I  was  up  at  the  hawse-holes,  and 
the  men  on  board,  who  had  been  looking  over  the 
bows,  and  had  witnessed  poor  Hastings'  death,  helped 
me  on  board,  and  hurried  me  down  below,  for  the  boat 
from  our  ship  was  now  nearly  alongside.  When  the 
officer  of  the  boat  came  on  board  they  told  him  they 
had  perceived  us  both  in  the  water,  close  to  their  vessel, 
and  that  the  sharks  had  taken  us  down.  As  the  shriek 
of  Hastings  was  heard  by  the  people  in  the  boat,  the 
officer  believed  that  it  was  the  case,  and  returned  to 
the  ship.  I  heard  the  drum  beat  to  quarters  on  board 
of  the  man-of-war,  that  they  might  ascertain  who  were 
the  two  men  who  had  attempted  to  swim  away,  and  a 
few  minutes  afterward  they  beat  the  retreat,  having 
put  down  D.  D.  against  my  name  on  the  books,  as  well 
as  against  that  of  poor  Hastings." 

"  What  does  D.  D.  mean  ?" 

"  D.  stands  for  discharged  from  the  service ;  D.  D. 
stands  for  dead,"  replied  Ready ;  "  and  it  was  only 
through  the  mercy  of  Providence  that  I  was  not  so." 

"  It  was  a  miraculous  escape,  indeed,"  observed  Mr. 
Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  indeed,  sir ;  I  can  hardly  describe  my  sensa- 
tions for  some  hours  afterward.  I  tried  to  sleep,  but 
could  not — I  was  in  agony.  The  moment  I  slumbered 
I  thought  the  shark  had  hold  of  me,  and  I  would  start 
up  and  shriek ;  and  then  I  said  my  prayers  and  tried 
to  go  to  sleep  again,  but  it  was  of  no  use.  The  captain 
of  the  West  Indiaman  was  afraid  that  my  shrieks 
would  be  heard,  and  he  sent  me  down  a  tumbler  of 
rum  to  drink  off ;  this  composed  me,  and  at  last  I  fell 
into  a  sound  sleep.  When  I  awoke  I  found  that  the 


264  MASTERMAN  READY. 

ship  was  under  way  and  with  all  canvas  set,  sur- 
rounded by  more  than  a  hundred  other  vessels,  the 
men-of-war  who  took  charge  of  the  convoy  firing  guns 
and  making  signals  incessantly.  It  was  a  glorious 
sight,  and  we  were  bound  for  Old  England.  I  felt  so 
happy  that  I  thought  I  would  risk  the  jaws  of  another 
shark  to  have  regained  my  liberty,  and  the  chance  of 
being  once  more  on  shore  in  my  own  country,  and 
able  to  go  to  Newcastle  and  see  my  poor  mother." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  your  miraculous  escape  did  you 
very  little  good,"  Ready,  observed  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  if 
you  got  over  it  so  soon." 

"  Indeed,  madam,  it  was  not  so ;  that  was  only  the 
feeling  which  the  first  sight  of  the  vessels  under  way 
for  England  produced  upon  me.  I  can  honestly  say 
that  I  was  a  better  and  more  serious  person  ;  not  but 
what  I  am  bad  enough  and  a  sinful  creature  now,  but 
I  was  from  that  day  better  than  I  was  before.  The 
very  next  night,  when  I  was  in  my  hammock,  I  prayed 
very  fervently ;  and  there  happened  to  be  a  very  good 
old  Scotchman  on  board,  the  second  mate,  who  talked 
very  seriously  to  me,  and  pointed  out  how  wonderful 
had  been  my  preservation,  and  I  felt  it.  It  was  he 
who  first  read  the  Bible  with  me,  and  made  me  under- 
stand it,  and,  I  may  say,  become  fond  of  it.  I  did  my 
duty  on  our  passage  home  as  a  seaman  before  the 
mast,  and  the  captain  was  pleased  with  me.  I  had  told 
the  history  of  my  life  to  the  second  mate,  and  he 
pointed  out  to  me  how  foolish  and  wrong  I  had  been 
to  leave  my  mother,  and  refuse  the  assistance  of  Mr. 
Masterman.  I  felt  that  he  was  right,  and  I  felt  more 
impatient  than  ever  to  throw  myself  into  my  mother's 
arms  and  ask  her  forgiveness.  The  ship  I  was  in  was 


MASTERMAN  READY.  265 

bound  to  Glasgow  and  we  parted  company  with  the 
convoy  at  North  Foreland  and  arrived  safe  in  port. 
The  captain  took  me  to  the  owners,  who  paid  me  fif- 
teen guineas  for  my  services  during  the  voyage  home ; 
and  as  soon  as  I  received  the  money  I  set  off  for  New- 
castle as  fast  as  I  could.  I  had  taken  a  place  on  the 
outside  of  the  coach  and  I  entered  into  conversation 
with  a  gentleman  who  sat  next  to  me.  I  soon  found 
out  that  he  belonged  to  Newcastle,  and  I  first  inquired 
if  Mr.  Masterman,  the  shipbuilder,  was  still  alive.  He 
told  me  that  he  had  been  dead  about  three  months. 
'  And  to  whom  did  he  leave  his  money  ?'  I  asked,  '  for 
he  was  very  rich,  and  had  no  kin.'  '  He  had  no  rela- 
tions,' replied  the  gentleman, '  and  he  left  all  his  money 
to  build  a  hospital  and  almshouses.  He  had  a  partner 
in  his  business  latterly,  und  he  left  the  yard  and  all 
the  stores  to  him,  I  believe,  because  he  did  not  know 
to  whom  to  leave  it.  There  was  a  lad  whom  I  knew 
for  certain  he  intended  to  have  adopted  and  to  have 
made  his  heir — a  lad  of  the  name  of  Eeady ;  but  he 
ran  away  to  sea,  and  has  never  been  heard  of  since.  It 
is  supposed  that  he  was  lost  in  a  prize,  for  he  was 
traced  so  far.  Foolish  boy  that  he  was,  he  might  now 
have  been  a  man  of  fortune.' 

"  '  Yery  foolish,  indeed,'  replied  I. 

"  '  Yes  ;  but  he  has  harmed  more  than  himself.  His 
poor  mother,  who  doted  upon  him,  as  soon  as  she  heard 
that  he  was  lost,  pined  away  by  degrees,  and ' 

" '  You  don't  mean  to  say  that  she  is  dead  ?'  inter- 
rupted I,  seizing  the  gentleman  by  the  arm. 

" '  Yes,'  replied  he,  looking  at  me  with  surprise ;  '  she 
died  last  year  of  a  broken  heart.' 

"  I  fell  back  on  the  luggage  behind  me,  and  should 


266  MASTERMAN  READY. 

have  fallen  off  the  coach  if  the  gentleman  had  not  held 
me.  He  called  to  the  coachman  to  pull  up  the  horses, 
and  they  took  me  down,  and  put  me  inside ;  fortu- 
nately there  was  no  one  there ;  and  as  the  coach  rolled 
on  I  cried  as  if  my  heart  would  break." 

Ready  appeared  so  very  much  affected  that  Mr. 
Seagrave  proposed  that  he  should  leave  off  his  history 
for  the  present,  and  that  they  should  retire  to  rest. 

"  Thank  you,  sir,  it  will  be  better ;  for  I  feel  my  old 
eyes  dim  with  tears  even  now.  It's  a  dreadful  thing 
in  after-life  to  reflect  upon,  that  your  foolish  conduct 
has  hastened  the  death  of  a  most  kind  mother ;  but  so 
it  was,  Master  William,  and  I  give  you  the  truth  for 
your  advantage.  I  told  you  that  portions  of  my  life 
would  serve  as  a  warning ;  let  them  not  be  thrown 
away  upon  you.  God  bless  you,  sir  !  God  bless  you, 
madam !  Good-night  1" 


MASTERMAN  READY.  267 


CHAPTER  XL. 

TOMMY   STEALS   THE   EGGS. 

A  FEW  mornings  afterward  Juno  came  in  before 
breakfast  with  six  eggs  in  her  apron,  which  she  had 
found  in  the  henhouse. 

"  Look,  Missy  Seagrave — fowls  lay  eggs — soon  have 
plenty — plenty  for  Master  William — make  him  well 
again — and  plenty  for  chickens  by  and  by." 

"  You  haven't  taken  them  all  out  of  the  nests,  Juno, 
have  you  ?" 

"  No,  missy — leave  one  in  each  nest  for  hen  to  see." 

"  "Well,  then,  we  will  keep  them  for  "William,  and  I 
hope,  as  you  say,  they  will  make  him  strong  again." 

"  I  am  getting  quite  strong  now,  mother,"  replied 
William ;  "  I  think  it  would  be  better  to  leave  the 
eggs  for  the  hens  to  sit  upon." 

"  No,  no,  William ;  your  health  is  of  more  conse- 
quence than  having  early  chickens." 

"  Tommy  likes  eggs  very  much,"  said  Tommy. 

"  Yes ;  but  Tommy  cannot  have  any  at  present ; 
Tommy  is  not  ill." 

"  Tommy  have  a  stomachache,"  replied  Tommy. 

"  I'm  afraid  that  you  are  a  little  story-teller,  Tommy ; 
and  if  you  have  a  stomachache  eggs  would  be  bad  for 
you." 

"  Tommy  got  a  headache,"  replied  the  boy. 


268  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"Eggs  are  not  good  for  headaches,  Tommy,"  re- 
plied his  father. 

"  Tommy  ill  all  over,"  replied  Tommy  again. 

"  Then  Tommy  must  be  put  to  bed,  and  have  a  dose 
of  castor  oil." 

"  Tommy  don't  want  castor  oil ;  Tommy  wants 
eggs." 

"  Yes,  but  Tommy  won't  get  eggs,"  replied  his 
father ;  "  so  he  may  as  well  leave  off  telling  fibs ; 
when  there  are  plenty  of  eggs  Tommy  will  have  one, 
if  he  is  a  good  boy,  and  not  otherwise." 

"  I  have  promised  Caroline  that  she  is  to  take  care 
of  the  chickens,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  and  I  think  she 
must  have  the  egg  department  also ;  she  promises  to 
be  a  very  useful  little  girl." 

For  a  few  days  Mr.  Seagrave  and  Ready  were  em- 
ployed at  the  garden  clearing  away  the  weeds,  which 
had  begun  to  sprout  up  along  with  the  seeds  which  had 
been  sown  ;  during  which  time  William  recovered  very 
fast.  The  first  two  days  Juno  brought  in  three  or 
four  eggs  regularly ;  but  on  the  third  day  there  were 
none  to  be  found.  On  the  fourth  day  the  hens  ap- 
peared also  not  to  have  laid,  much  to  the  surprise  of 
Mrs.  Seagrave ;  as  when  hens  commence  laying  eggs, 
they  usually  continue.  On  the  fifth  morning,  when 
they  sat  down  to  breakfast,  Master  Tommy  did  not 
make  his  appearance,  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  asked  where 
he  was. 

"  I  suspect,  madam,"  said  old  Eeady,  laughing, "  that 
Master  Tommy  will  not  come  either  to  his  breakfast 
or  his  dinner  to-day." 

"  What  can  you  mean,  Ready  ?"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Why,  madam,  I  will  tell  you.     I  thought  it  very 


MASTERMAN  READY.  269 

odd  that  there  were  no  eggs,  and  I  thought  it  probable 
that  the  hens  might  have  laid  astray ;  so  I  went  about 
yesterday  evening  to  search.  I  could  not  find  any 
eggs,  but  I  found  the  eggshells  hid  under  some  cocoa- 
nut  leaves ;  and  I  argued  that  if  an  animal,  supposing 
there  was  any  on  the  island,  had  taken  the  eggs,  it 
would  not  have  been  so  careful  to  hide  the  eggshells. 
So,  this  morning,  I  fastened  up  the  door  of  the  hen- 
house, and  only  left  open  the  little  sliding-door,  by 
which  the  fowls  go  in  to  roost ;  and  then,  after  you 
were  up,  I  watched  behind  the  trees,  and  saw  Master 
Tommy  come  out,  and  go  to  the  henhouse.  He  tried 
the  door,  and  finding  it  fast,  he  then  crept  into  the 
henhouse  by  the  little  sliding-door.  As  soon  as  he  was 
in  I  let  down  the  slide,  and  fastened  it  with  a  nail ;  so 
there  he  is  caught  in  his  own  trap." 

"  And  there  shall  he  remain  all  day,  the  little  glut- 
ton !"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  who  was  much  amused. 

"Yes,  it  will  serve  him  right,"  replied  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  and  be  a  lesson  to  him.  We  will  take  no 
notice  of  him  whatever,  if  he  halloos  and  screams  for 
an  hour." 

"  Oh,  Massa  Tommy,  me  very  glad  you  cotch  at 
last ;  teach  you  not  to  suck  eggs,"  said  Juno ;  "  now 
you  got  nothing  to  eat ;  you  not  like  that." 

Mr.  Seagrave,  Eeady,  and  William,  as  usual,  went 
down  to  their  work ;  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  Juno,  with 
little  Caroline,  were  busy  indoors.  Tommy  remained 
very  quiet  for  an  hour,  when  he  commenced  roaring  ; 
but  it  was  of  no  use,  no  one  paid  any  attention  to  him. 
At  dinner-time  he  began  to  roar  again,  but  with  as 
little  success  ;  it  was  not  till  the  evening  that  the  door 
of  the  henhouse  was  opened,  and  Master  Tommy  per- 


270  MASTERMAN  READY. 

mitted  to  come  out.     He  looked  very  foolish ;  and  sat 
down  in  a  corner  without  speaking. 

"  "Well,  Master  Tommy,  how  many  eggs  did  you  suck 
to-day  ?"  said  Ready. 

"  Tommy  won't  suck  eggs  any  more,"  said  the 
urchin. 

"  No,  you  had  better  not,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave, "  or 
you  will  find,  in  the  end,  that  you  will  have  less  to  eat, 
instead  of  more,  as  you  have  this  day." 

"  I  want  my  dinner,"  said  Tommy. 

"  You'll  have  no  dinner  this  day,  you  may  be  sure," 
said  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  "  we  can't  allow  you  dinner  and 
eggs  both ;  and  if  you  cry  I  will  lock  you  up  in  the 
henhouse  all  night ;  you  must  now  wait  patiently  till 
supper-time." 

Tommy  found  that  he  could  not  help  himself,  so  he 
waited  very  quietly  and  very  sulkily  till  supper  was 
ready,  when  he  made  up  for  lost  time.  After  which 
Ready  continued  his  narrative. 

"  I  told  you,  Master  William,  that  I  was  informed 
by  the  gentleman  on  the  coach  that  my  mother  had 
died  of  a  broken  heart,  in  consequence  of  my  supposed 
death.  I  was  in  an  agony  until  I  arrived  at  Newcastle, 
where  I  could  ascertain  all  the  facts  connected  with 
her  decease.  When  the  coach  stopped,  the  gentleman, 
who  had  remained  outside,  came  to  the  coach  door, 
and  said  to  me,  '  If  I  mistake  not,  you  are  Masterman 
Ready,  who  ran  away  to  sea ;  are  you  not  ?'  '  Yes, 
sir,'  replied  I  very  sorrowfully,  '  I  am.'  '  Well,  my 
man,'  said  he,  '  cheer  up ;  when  you  went  away  you 
were  young  and  thoughtless,  and  certainly  had  no  idea 
that  you  would  have  distressed  your  mother  as  you  did. 
It  was  not  your  going  to  sea,  but  the  report  of  your 


MASTERMAN  BEADY. 

death,  which  preyed  so  much  upon  her  mind ;  and  that 
was  not  your  fault.  You  must  come  with  me,  as  I  have 
something  to  say  to  you.' 

" '  I  will  call  upon  you  to-morrow,  sir,'  replied  I ;  '  I 
cannot  do  anything  until  I  talk  to  the  neighbors  and 
visit  my  poor  mother's  grave.  It  is  very  true  that  I  did 
not  intend  to  distress  my  mother,  and  that  the  report 
of  my  death  was  no  fault  of  mine.  But  I  cannot  help 
feeling  that  if  I  had  not  been  so  thoughtless,  she  would 
be  still  alive  and  happy.'  Great  mischief  is  brought 
about  by  very  slight  causes  in  this  world,  Master  Will- 
iam ;  and  if,  before  we  did  anything,  we  were  to  reflect 
upon  what  the  consequences  might  be,  we  should  all  be 
much  wiser  and  much  better.  The  gentleman  gave 
me  his  address,  and  I  promised  to  call  upon  him  the 
next  morning.  I  then  went  to  the  house  my  mother 
used  to  live  in.  I  knew  that  she  was  not  there  ;  yet 
I  was  disappointed  and  annoyed  when  I  heard  merry 
laughter  within.  I  looked  in,  for  the  door  was  open  ; 
in  the  corner  where  my  mother  used  to  sit  there  was 
a  mangle,  and  two  women  busily  at  work  ;  others  were 
ironing  at  a  large  table ;  and  when  they  cried  out  to 
me,  '  What  do  you  want  ?'  and  laughed  at  me,  I  turned 
away  in  disgust,  and  went  to  a  neighboring  cottage 
the  inmates  of  which  had  been  very  intimate  with  my 
mother.  I  found  the  wife  at  home,  but  she  did  not 
know  me ;  and  I  told  her  who  I  was.  She  had  at- 
tended my  mother  during  her  illness,  till  the  day  of 
her  death ;  and  she  told  me  all  I  wished  to  know.  It 
was  some  little  relief  to  my  mind  to  hear  that  my  poor 
mother  could  not  have  lived,  as  she  had  an  incurable 
cancer ;  but  at  the  same  the  woman  told  me  that  I  was 
ever  in  her  thoughts,  and  that  my  name  was  the  last 


272  MASTERMAN  READY. 

word  on  her  lips.  She  also  said  that  Mr.  Masterraan 
had  been  very  kind  to  my  mother,  and  that  she  had 
wanted  nothing.  I  then  asked  her  to  show  me  where 
my  mother  had  been  buried.  She  put  on  her  bonnet 
and  led  me  to  the  grave,  and  then,  at  my  request,  she 
left  me.  I  seated  myself  down  by  the  mound  of  turf 
which  covered  her,  and  long  and  bitterly  did  I  weep 
her  loss  and  pray  for  forgiveness. 

"  It  was  quite  dark  when  I  left  the  spot  and  went 
back  to  the  cottage  of  the  kind  woman  who  had  at- 
tended my  mother.  I  conversed  with  her  and  her 
husband  till  late,  and  then,  as  they  offered  me  a  bed, 
I  remained  with  them  that  night.  Next  morning  I 
went  to  keep  my  appointment  with  the  gentleman 
whom  I  had  met  in  the  coach :  I  found  by  the  brass 
plate  on  the  door  that  he  was  a  lawyer.  He  desired 
me  to  sit  down,  and  then  he  closed  the  door  carefully, 
and  having  asked  me  many  questions  to  ascertain  if  I 
was  really  Masterman  Ready,  he  said  he  was  the 
person  employed  at  Mr.  Masterman's  death,  and  that 
he  had  found  a  paper  which  was  of  great  consequence, 
as  it  proved  that  the  insurance  of  the  vessel,  which 
had  belonged  to  my  father  and  Mr.  Masterman,  and 
which  had  been  lost,  had  not  been  made  on  Mr.  Master- 
man's share  only,  but  upon  my  father's  as  well,  and 
that  Mr.  Masterman  had  defrauded  my  mother.  He 
said  he  had  found  the  paper  in  a  secret  drawer  some 
time  after  Mr.  Masterman's  death,  and  that  my  mother 
being  dead,  and  I  being  supposed  to  be  dead,  he  did 
not  see  any  use  in  making  known  so  disagreeable  a 
circumstance ;  but  that,  now  I  had  reappeared,  it  was 
his  duty  so  to  do,  and  that  he  would  arrange  the  mat- 
ter for  me,  if  I  pleased,  with  the  corporation  of  the 


MASTERMAN  READY,  273 

town,  to  whom  all  Mr.  Masterraan's  property  had  been 
left  in  trust  to  build  a  hospital  and  almshouses.  He 
said  that  the  insurance  on  the  vessel  was  three  thou- 
sand pounds,  and  that  one-third  of  the  vessel  belonged 
to  my  father,  so  that  a  thousand  pounds  were  due  to 
him,  which  the  interest  for  so  many  years  would  in- 
crease to  above  two  thousand  pounds.  This  was  good 
neAvs  for  me,  and  you  may  suppose  I  readily  agreed  to 
all  he  proposed.  He  set  to  work  at  once,  and  having 
called  together  the  mayor  and  corporation  of  the 
town,  and  proved  the  document,  they  immediately 
agreed  that  I  was  entitled  to  the  money,  and  that  it 
should  be  paid  to  me  without  any  contest.  Thus  you 
see,  Master  William,  was  a  new  temptation  thrown  in 
my  way." 

"  How  do  you  mean  a  temptation  ?  It  surely  was 
very  fortunate,  Ready,"  said  Wiliam. 

"  Yes,  Master  William,  it  was,  as  people  say,  fortu- 
nate, according  to  the  ideas  of  the  world  ;  every  one 
congratulated  me,  and  I  was  myself  so  inflated  with 
my  good  fortune  that  I  forgot  all  the  promises  of 
amendment,  all  the  vows  of  leading  a  good  life,  which 
I  made  over  my  poor  mother's  grave.  Now  do  you 
perceive  why  I  called  it  a  temptation,  Master 
William?" 

"My  dear  child,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "riches  and 
prosperity  in  this  world  prove  often  the  greatest  of 
temptations ;  it  is  adversity  that  chastens  and  amends 
us,  and  which  draws  us  to  our  God.  Hath  not  our 
Saviour  declared,  '  That  it  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  pass 
through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?'  This  is  intended 
to  be  understood  as  a  metaphor,  not  as  a  positive  asser- 


274  MASTERMAN  READY. 

tion;  and  is  explained  by  our  Lord  Himself  in  a 
similar  passage  when  he  says,  '  How  hard  is  it  for 
them  that  trust  in  riches  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God !'  This  expression  of  our  Saviour  is  followed  up 
in  the  Litany  of  our  Church  service,  in  which  we  make 
this  solemn  appeal :  '  In  all  time  of  our  tribulation,  in 
all  time  of  our  wealth,  in  the  hour  of  death,  and  in  the 
day  of  judgment,  good  Lord,  deliver  us.'  Great  indeed 
must  be  the  peril  of  wealth,  when  it  is  thus  coupled 
with  such  awful  positions  as  '  the  hour  of  death  and 
the  day  of  judgment.'  Keady,  therefore,  was  correct 
in  asserting  that  the  sudden  accession  to  so  large  a  sum 
of  money  was  a  temptation  ;  and  you  perceive  by  his 
own  acknowledgment  that  he  could  not  resist  it,  but 
forgot  all  his  good  resolutions." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  you  have  well  explained  it ;  and  such  was 
the  fact.  As  soon  as  the  money  was  in  my  own  hands 
I  began  to  squander  it  away  in  all  manner  of  folly. 
Fortunately,  I  had  not  received  it  more  than  ten  days 
when  the  Scotch  second  mate  came  like  a  guardian 
angel  to  save  me.  As  soon  as  I  had  made  known  to 
him  what  had  taken  place  he  reasoned  with  me, 
pointed  out  to  me  that  I  had  an  opportunity  of  estab- 
lishing myself  for  life,  and  proposed  that  I  should  pur- 
chase a  part  of  a  vessel,  on  condition  that  I  was  captain 
of  her.  I  liked  this  idea  very  much,  and  being  con- 
vinced that  I  had  been  making  a  fool  of  myself,  I 
resolved  to  take  his  advice;  but  one  thing  only  re- 
strained me :  I  was  still  very  young,  not  more  than 
twenty  yeacs  old ;  and  although  I  could  navigate  at 
one  time,  I  had  latterly  paid  no  attention.  I  told 
Sanders  this,  and  he  replied  that  if  I  would  take  him 
as  my  first  mate  that  difficulty  would  be  got  over,  as 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  275 

he  could  navigate  well,  and  that  I  could  learn  to  do  so 
in  the  first  voyage  ;  so  all  was  arranged. 

"  Fortunately,  I  had  not  spent  above  one  hundred 
pounds  of  the  money — quite  enough  too  in  so  short  a 
time.  I  set  off  for  Glasgow,  in  company  with  Sanders, 
and  he  busied  himself  very  hard  in  looking  about  for  a 
vessel  that  would  suit.  At  last  he  found  that  there 
was  one  ready  for  launching  which,  in  consequence  of 
the  failure  of  the  house  for  which  it  was  built,  was  to 
be  sold.  He  made  inquiries,  and  having  found  who 
was  likely  to  purchase  her — that  it  was  a  very  safe 
and  respectable  firm — he  made  a  proposal  for  me,  that 
I  should  take  one-fourth  share  of  her,  and  command 
her.  As  Sanders  was  very  respectable,  and  well  known 
to  be  a  steady  man,  his  recommendation  was  attended 
to  so  far  that  the  parties  wished  to  see  and  speak  to 
me.  They  were  satisfied  with  me,  young  as  I  was, 
and  the  bargain  was  made.  I  paid  down  my  two 
thousands  pounds  for  my  share,  and  as  soon  as  the 
vessel  was  launched,  was  very  busy  with  Sanders, 
whom  I  had  chosen  as  first  mate,  in  fitting  her  out. 
The  house  which  had  purchased  her  with  me  was  a 
West  India  firm,  and  the  ship  was  of  course  intended 
for  the  West  India  trade.  I  had  two  or  three  hundred 
pounds  left,  after  I  had  paid  my  share  of  the  vessel, 
and  this  I  employed  in  purchasing  a  venture  on  my 
own  account,  and  providing  nautical  instruments,  etc. 
I  also  fitted  myself  out ;  for  you  see,  Master  William, 
although  Sanders  had  persuaded  me  to  be  rational,  I 
was  still  puffed  up  with  pride  at  the  idea  of  being  cap- 
tain of  my  own  ship :  it  was  too  great  a  rise  for  one 
who  had  just  before  been  a  lad  in  the  mizzen-top  of  a 
man-of-war.  I  dressed  myself  very  smart — wore  white 


276  MASTERMAN  READY. 

shirts,  and  rings  on  my  fingers ;  I  even  put  on  gloves, 
and  tried  to  make  my  bands  white.  Indeed,  as  cap- 
tain and  part  owner  of  a  fine  vessel,  I  was  considered 
as  somebody,  and  was  often  invited  to  the  table  of 
the  other  owners  of  the  vessel.  I  was  well  off, 
for  my  pay  was  ten  pounds  a  month,  independent  of 
what  my  own  venture  might  produce,  and  my  quarter 
share  of  the  profits  of  the  vessel.  This  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  most  prosperous  portion  of  my  life ;  and 
so,  if  you  please,  we  will  leave  off  here  for  to-night,  for 
I  may  as  well  tell  you  at  once  that  it  did  not  last  very 
long." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  377 


CHAPTER   XLI. 

SANDERS'    GENEROSITY. 

FOR  several  days  after  they  were  employed  in  clear- 
ing away  the  stumps  of  the  cocoanut-trees  in  the  wind- 
ing path  to  the  storehouse  ;  and  as  soon  as  that  work  was 
finished  Ready  put  up  a  lightning  conductor  at  the 
side  of  the  storehouse,  like  the  one  which  he  had  put 
up  near  to  the  cottage.  They  had  now  got  through 
all  the  work  that  they  had  arranged  to  do  during  the 
rainy  season.  The  ewes  had  dropped  their  lambs ;  but 
both  the  sheep  and  the  goats  began  to  suffer  for  want 
of  pasture.  For  a  week  they  had  no  rain,  and  the  sun 
burst  out  very  powerfully  ;  and  Ready  stated  that  it 
was  his  opinion  that  the  rainy  season  was  now  over. 
William  had  become  quite  strong  again,  and  he  was 
very  impatient  that  they  should  commence  the  survey 
of  the  island,  and  very  anxious  to  be  of  the  party. 
After  a  great  deal  of  consultation  it  was  at  last 
settled  that  Ready  and  William  should  make  the  first 
survey  to  the  southward,  and  then  return  and  report 
what  they  had  discovered.  This  was  decided  upon  on 
the  Saturday  evening,  and  on  the  Monday  morning 
they  were  to  start.  The  knapsacks  were  got  ready 
and  well  filled  with  boiled  salt  pork,  and  flat  cakes  of 
bread  made  by  Juno.  They  were  each  to  have  a 
musket  and  ammunition,  and  a  blanket  was  folded  up 


278  MASTERMAN  READY. 

to  carry  on  the  shoulders,  that  they  might  sleep  on  it 
at  night.     Ready  did  not  forget  his  compass,  or  the 
small  axes  for  them  to  blaze  the  trees  as  they  went 
through  the  wood.     The  whole  of  Saturday  was  occu- 
pied in  making  their    preparations.     After    supper, 
Ready  said :  "  Now,  Master  William,  before  we  start 
on  our  travels,  I  think  I  may  as  well  wind  up  my 
history.    I  haven't  a  great  deal  more  to  tell,  as  my 
good  fortune  did  not  last  long ;  and  after  my  remain- 
ing so  long  in  a  French  prison,  my  life  was  one  con- 
tinued chapter  of  from  bad  to  worse.     I  left  off  where 
I  had  purchased  a  share  of  a  merchant  vessel,  and  was, 
in  my  opinion,  on  the  full  trip  to  fortune :  so  now  to 
proceed.     Our  ship  was  soon    ready,  and  we    sailed 
with  convoy  for  Barbadoes.     Sanders  proved  a  good 
navigator,    and    from    him,    before    we    arrived    at 
Barbadoes,  I  gained  all  the  knowledge  which  I  re- 
quired to  enable  me  to  command  and  navigate  my 
vessel.     Sanders  attempted  to  renew  our  serious  con- 
versation, but  my  property  had  made  me  vain ;  and 
now  that  I  felt  I  could  do  without  his  assistance,  I  not 
only  kept  him  at  a  distance,  but  assumed  the  superior. 
This  was  a  very  ungrateful  return  for  his  kindness  to 
me,  Master  William ;  but  it  is  too  often  the  case  in 
this  world.     Sanders  was  very  much  annoyed,  and  on 
our  arrival  at  Barbadoes,  he  told  me  that  it  was  his 
intention  to  quit  the  vessel.     I  replied  very  haughtily 
that  he  might  do  as  he  pleased ;  the  fact  is,  I  was 
anxious  to  get  rid  of  him,  merely  because  I  was  under 
obligations  to  him  :  I  tell  this  to  my  shame,  Master  Will- 
iam.    Well,  sir,  Sanders  left  me,  and  I  felt  quite  happy 
at  his  departure.  My  ship  was  soon  with  a  full  cargo  of 
sugar  on  board  of  her,  and  we  waited  for  convoy  to 


MASTERMAN  ItEADY.  379 

England.  "When  at  Barbadoes  I  had  an  opportunity 
to  buy  four  brass  guns,  which  I  mounted  on  deck,  and 
had  a  good  supply  of  ammunition  on  board.  I  was 
very  proud  of  my  vessel,  as  she  had  proved  in  the 
voyage  out  to  be  a  very  fast  sailer  ;  indeed,  she  sailed 
better  than  some  of  the  men-of-war  which  convoyed 
us  ;  and  now  that  I  had  guns  on  board,  I  considered 
myself  quite  safe  from  any  of  the  enemies'  privateers. 
While  we  were  waiting  for  convoy,  which  was  not 
expected  for  a  fortnight,  it  blew  a  very  heavy  gale, 
and  my  ship  as  well  as  others,  dragged  their  anchors, 
and  were  driven  out  of  Carlisle  Bay.  We  were 
obliged  to  make  sail  to  beat  into  the  bay  again,  it  still 
blowing  very  fresh.  What  with  being  tired  waiting 
so  long  for  convoy,  and  the  knowledge  that  arriving 
before  the  other  West  Indiamen  would  be  very  advan- 
tageous, I  made  up  my  mind  that,  instead  of  beating 
up  into  the  bay  again,  I  would  run  for  England  with- 
out protection,  trusting  to  the  fast  sailing  of  my  vessel 
and  the  guns  which  I  had  on  board.  I  forgot  at  the 
time  that  the  insurance  on  the  vessel  was  made  in 
England  as  '  sailing  with  convoy,'  and  that  my  sailing 
without  would  render  the  insurance  void,  if  any 
misfortune  occurred.  Well,  sir,  I  made  sail  for  Eng- 
land, and  for  three  weeks  everything  went  on  well. 
We  saw  very  few  vessels,  and  those  which  chased  us 
could  not  come  up  with  us  ;  but  as  we  were  running 
with  a  fair  wind  up  channel,  and  I  had  made  sure  of 
being  in  port  before  night,  a  French  privateer  hove  in 
sight  and  gave  chase.  We  were  obliged  to  haul  our 
wind,  and  it  blowing  very  fast  we  carried  away  our 
maintop-mast.  This  accident  was  fatal ;  the  privateer 
came  alongside  of  us  and  laid  us  by  the  board,  and 


280  MASTERMAN  READY. 

that  night  I  was  in  a  French  prison,  and  I  may  say,  a 
pauper ;  for  the  insurance  of  the  vessel  was  void,  from 
my  having  sailed  without  convoy.  I  felt  that  I  had 
no  one  to  thank  but  myself  for  the  unfortunate 
position  I  was  in ;  at  all  events  I  was  severely 
punished,  for  I  remained  a  prisoner  for  nearly  six 
years.  I  contrived  to  escape  with  three  or  four 
others ;  we  suffered  dreadfully,  and  at  last  arrived  in 
England,  in  a  Swedish  vessel,  without  money  or  even 
clothes  that  would  keep  out  the  weather.  Of  course  I 
had  nothing  to  do  but  to  look  out  for  a  berth  on  board 
of  a  ship,  and  I  tried  for  that  of  second  mate,  but 
without  success ;  I  was  too  ragged  and  looked  too 
miserable ;  so  I  determined,  as  I  was  starving,  to  go 
before  the  mast.  There  was  a  fine  vessel  in  the  port ; 
I  went  on  board  to  offer  myself ;  the  mate  went  down 
to  the  captain,  who  came  on  deck,  and  who  should  he 
be  but  Sanders !  I  hoped  that  he  would  not  remem- 
ber me,  but  he  did  immediately,  and  held  out  his  hand. 
I  never  did  feel  so  ashamed  in  my  life  as  I  did  then. 
Sanders  perceived  it,  and  asked  me  down  into  the 
cabin.  I  then  told  him  all  that  had  happened,  and  he 
appeared  to  forget  that  I  had  behaved  so  ill  to  him  : 
he  offered  me  a  berth  on  board,  and  money  in  advance 
to  fit  me  out.  But  if  he  would  not  remember  my  con- 
duct, I  could  not  forget  it,  and  I  told  him  so,  and 
begged  his  forgiveness.  Well,  sir,  that  good  man,  as 
long  as  he  lived,  was  my  friend.  I  became  his  second 
mate  before  he  died,  and  we  were  again  very  intimate. 
My  misfortunes  had  humbled  me,  and  I  once  more 
read  the  Bible  with  him  ;  and  I  have,  I  trust,  done  so 
ever  since.  When  he  died  I  continued  second  mate 
for  some  time,  and  then  was  displaced.  Since  that  I 


MASTERMAtf  HEADY.  281 

have  always  been  as  a  common  seaman  on  board  of 
different  vessels ;  but  I  have  been  well  treated  and 
respected,  and  I  may  add,  I  have  not  been  unhappy, 
for  I  felt  that  property  would  have  only  led  me  into 
follies,  and  have  made  me  forget  that  in  this  world  we 
are  to  live  so  as  to  prepare  ourselves  for  another. 
Now,  Master  "William,  you  have  the  history  of  Master- 
man  Ready ;  and  I  hope  that  there  are  portions  of  it 
which  may  prove  useful  to  you.  I  am  now  an  old 
man,  and  weaned  from  the  things  of  this  world ;  all  I 
hope  is  to  die  in  peace,  and  be  useful  until  it  pleases 
God  to  call  me  away." 

"Useful  you  have  been,  indeed,  lately,"  said  Mrs. 
Seagrave ;  "and  I  hope  you  will  live  a  long  while  yet, 
Ready,  and  have  a  happy  old  age." 

"  It  will  be  as  God  pleases,  madam,"  replied  Ready ; 
"  but  sailors  are  not  long-lived.  I  feel  as  if  I  could  pass 
the  remainder  of  my  days  on  this  little  island  with  per- 
fect content.  I  know  you  all  feel  otherwise ;  but  that 
is  natural.  I  am  an  old  man  already,  and  have  nothing 
to  look  forward  to ;  I  have  no  relations,  no  children ; 
and  all  I  require  is  employment  to  amuse  me,  and  my 
Bible  to  teach  me  how  to  die.  You  are  all  young  com- 
pared to  me,  and  naturally  look  forward.  For  your 
sakes,  and  not  for  my  own,  I  sincerely  hope  we  shall 
be  searched  for,  and  found,  and  that  you  may  return 
to  the  busy  world.  As  for  myself,  I  would  willingly  re- 
main upon  the  island  for  the  remainder  of  my  days,  and 
have  the  boughs  of  the  cocoanut-trees  waving  over  my 
grave.  I  don't  know,  but  I  really  have  a  kind  of  feel- 
ing that  such  will  be  the  case,  and  I  dwell  upon  the 
idea  with  pleasure." 

"  No,  no,  Ready,  you  must  not  think  of  that ;  you 


282  -K4 STERMAN  READ  T. 

must  go  back  with  us  one  of  these  days,"  replied  Mr. 
Seagrave,  "and  live  with  us  altogether.  "We  never 
part  again.  You  must  give  up  your  seafaring  life,  and 
sit  in  the  chimney  corner,  or  bask  in  the  sun  out-of- 
doors,  just  as  you  please.  You  require  repose,  and  I  trust 
your  old  age  will  be  cheerful.  At  all  events,  it  shall 
not  be  my  fault  if  it  is  not." 

"  Nor  mine,  Keady,  I  assure  you,"  added  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  I  should  feel  uncomfortable  if  I  were  ever  to 
be  parted  from  you  again." 

"Thank  you,  madam,  and  thank  you,  sir,  both  of 
you ;  I  thank  you  kindly  for  your  good  intentions 
toward  me ;  but  there  is  One  above  who  will  decide  for 
us,  and  whatever  He  decrees  is  right. 

"  Master  William,  we  must  be  off  betimes  to-morrow, 
and  as  we  are  all  to  breakfast  early  together,  why,  I 
think  the  sooner  we  go  to  bed  the  better." 

"  Very  true,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  William  dear, 
bring  me  the  Bible." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  283 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

GREAT     DISCOVERIES. 

THEY  were  all  up  early  the  next  morning,  and  break- 
fasted at  an  early  hour.  The  fried  fish  was  excellent, 
and  Master  Tommy  was  nearly  choked  by  a  bone 
which  stuck  in  his  throat,  in  consequence  of  his  being 
so  greedy,  and  eating  so  fast.  However,  after  a  good 
deal  of  thumping,  and  some  alarm  on  the  part  of  Mrs. 
Seagrave,  Juno  forced  her  forefinger  down  his  throat, 
and  the  bone  disappeared.  The  knapsacks  and  guns, 
and  the  other  requisites  for  the  journey,  were  all  pre- 
pared ;  William  and  Ready  rose  from  the  table,  and, 
taking  an  aifectionate  leave  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave, 
they  started  on  their  journey.  The  sun  was  shining 
brilliantly,  and  the  weather  had  become  warm;  the 
ocean  in  the  distance  gleamed  brightly  as  its  waters 
danced,  and  the  cocoanut-trees  moved  their  branches 
gracefully  to  the  breeze.  They  set  off  in  high  spirits, 
and,  having  called  the  two  shepherd  dogs,  and  driven 
back  Vixen,  who  would  have  joined  the  party,  they 
passed  the  storehouse,  and,  ascending  the  hill  on  the 
other  side,  they  got  their  hatchets  ready  to  blaze  the 
trees ;  and  Ready  having  set  his  course  by  his  pocket- 
compass,  they  were  fairly  on  their  way.  For  some 
time  they  continued  to  cut  the  bark  of  the  trees  with 


284  MASTERMAN  READY. 

their  hatchets  without  speaking,  and  then  Heady 
stopped  again  to  look  at  his  compass. 

"  I  think  the  wood  is  thicker  here  than  ever,  Ready," 
observed  William. 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  is ;  but  I  suspect  we  are  now  in  the 
thickest  part  of  it,  right  in  the  middle  of  the  island ; 
however,  we  shall  soon  see.  We  must  keep  a  little 
more  away  to  the  southward.  We  had  better  get  on 
as  fast  as  we  can.  We  shall  have  less  work  by  and 
by,  and  then  we  can  talk  better." 

For  half  an  hour  they  continued  their  way  through 
the  wood,  and,  as  Ready  had  observed,  the  trees  be- 
came more  distant  from  each  other;  still,  however, 
they  could  not  see  anything  before  them  but  the  stems 
of  the  cocoanuts.  It  was  hard  work,  chopping  the 
trees  every  second,  and  their  foreheads  were  moist 
with  the  exertion. 

"  I  think  we  had  better  pull  up  for  a  few  minutes, 
Master  William ;  you  will  be  tired :  you  are  not  so 
strong  as  you  were  before  your  fever." 

"  I  have  not  been  so  used  to  exercise,  Ready,  and 
therefore  I  feel  it  more,"  replied  William,  wiping  his 
face  with  his  handkerchief,  as  he  laid  his  gun  against 
the  trunk  of  a  tree.  "  I  should  like  to  stop  a  few  min- 
utes. How  long  do  you  think  it  will  be  before  we  are 
out  of  the  wood  ?" 

"  Not  half  an  hour  more,  sir,  I  should  think ;  even 
before  that,  perhaps.  I  do  not  know  how  far  the 
wood  may  extend  this  way." 

"  What  do  you  expect  to  find,  Ready  ?" 

"  That's  a  difficult  question  to  answer.  I  can  tell 
you  what  I  hope  to  find,  which  is,  a  good  space  of  clear 
ground  between  the  beach  and  the  wood,  where  we 


MA8TERMAN  READY.  285 

may  pasture  our  sheep  and  goats;  and  perhaps  we 
may  find  some  other  trees  besides  cocoanuts ;  at  pres- 
ent, you  know  we  have  only  seen  them  and  the  castor- 
oil  beans  that  Master  Tommy  took  such  a  dose  of. 
You  see,  Master  William,  there  is  no  saying  what  new 
seeds  may  have  been  brought  here  by  birds,  or  by  the 
winds  and  waves." 

"  But  will  those  seeds  grow  ?" 

"  Yes,  Master  William  ;  I  have  been  told  that  seeds 
may  remain  hundreds  of  years  underground,  and  come 
up  afterward  when  exposed  to  the  heat." 

"  Kow  I  recollect,"  replied  William,  "  my  father  told 
me  that  the  wheat  which  had  been  buried  in  an  Egyp- 
tian mummy  three  or  four  thousand  years  back  had 
been  known  to  grow,  when  planted." 

"  What's  a  mummy,  Master  William  ?  I  have  heard 
of  Egypt ;  it  was  the  country  where  the  Jews  were  in 
bondage,  and  from  which  they  were  delivered.  We 
read  all  that  in  the  Bible ;  and  how  Pharaoh  was 
plagued  until  he  permitted  them  to  depart.'^ 

"  Yes,  he  was  drowned,  with  all  his  host,  because  he 
followed  them  to  bring  them  back  again.  A  mummy, 
Ready,  is  a  human  body,  embalmed  with  spices  after 
it  is  dead,  so  as  to  preserve  it.  I  never  saw  one ;  but 
I  know,  from  what  I  have  read,  that  the  Egyptians 
used  to  embalm  the  bodies  of  the  dead.  I  am  quite 
ready  to  go  on  now." 

"  Well,  then,  the  sooner  we  get  through  the  wood 
the  better,  Master  William ;  so  let  us  put  our  best  foot 
foremost,  as  the  saying  is." 

They  continued  their  way,  and  had  not  walked  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  when  William  cried 
out,  "  I  see  the  blue  sky,  Ready ;  we  shall  soon  be 


286  MASTERMAN  READY. 

out,  and  glad  shall  I  be,  for  my  arm  aches  with 
chopping." 

"  I  dare  say  it  does,  sir.  I  am  just  as  glad  as  you 
are,  for  I'm  tired  of  marking  the  trees ;  however,  we 
must  continue  to  mark,  or  we  shall  not  find  our  way 
back  when  we  want  it." 

In  ten  minutes  more  they  were  clear  of  the  cocoa- 
nut  grove,  and  found  themselves  among  brushwood 
higher  than  their  heads ;  so  that  they  could  not  see 
how  far  they  were  from  the  shore. 

"  "Well,"  said  "William,  throwing  down  his  hatchet, 
"  I'm  glad  that's  over ;  now  let  us  sit  down  a  little  be- 
fore we  go  any  farther." 

"  I'm  of  your  opinion,  sir,"  replied  Keady,  sitting 
down  by  the  side  of  William ;  "  I  feel  more  tired  to-day 
than  I  did  when  we  first  went  through  the  wood,  after 
we  set  off  from  the  cove.  I  suppose  it's  the  weather. 
Come  back,  dogs ;  lie  down." 

"  The  weather  is  very  fine,  Keady." 

"  Yes,  now,  sir ;  but  I  meant  to  have  said  that  the 
rainy  season  is  very  trying  to  the  health,  and  I  sup- 
pose I  have  not  recovered  from  it  yet.  You  have  had 
a  regular  fever,  and,  of  course,  do  not  feel  strong ;  but 
a  man  may  have  no  fever,  and  yet  his  health  suffer  a 
great  deal  from  it.  I  am  an  old  man,  Master  William, 
and  feel  these  things  now." 

"  I  think  that  before  we  go  on,  Ready,  we  had  bet- 
ter have  our  dinner ;  that  will  do  us  good." 

"  Well,  Master  William,  we  will  take  an  early  din- 
ner, and  we  shall  get  rid  of  one  bottle  of  water,  at  all 
events ;  indeed,  I  think  that,  as  we  must  go  back  by 
the  same  way  we  came,  we  may  as  well  leave  our  knap- 
sacks and  everything  but  our  guns  under  these  trees; 


M ASTERN  A  N  READ  Y.  287 

I  dare  say  we  shall  sleep  here  too,  for  I  told  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  positively  not  to  expect  us  back  to-night.  I  did 
not  like  to  say  so  before  your  mother,  she  is  so  anxious 
about  you." 

They  opened  their  knapsacks,  and  made  their 
meal,  the  two  dogs  coming  in  for  their  full  share ; 
after  which  they  again  started  on  their  discoveries. 
For  about  ten  minutes  they  continued  to  force  their 
way  through  the  thick  and  high  bushes,  till  at  last 
they  broke  out  clear  of  them,  and  then  looked  around 
them  for  a  short  time  without  speaking.  The  sea  was 
about  half  a  mile  distant,  and  the  intervening  land 
was  clear,  with  fresh  blades  of  grass  just  bursting  out 
of  the  earth,  composing  a  fine  piece  of  pasture  of  at 
least  fifty  acres,  here  and  there  broken  with  small 
patches  of  trees  and  brushwood ;  there  was  no 
sandy  beach,  but  the  rocks  rose  from  the  sea  about 
twenty  to  thirty  feet  high,  and  were  in  one  or  two 
places  covered  with  something  which  looked  as  white 
as  snow. 

"  "Well,  Ready,"  said  William,  "  there  will  be  no 
want  of  pasture  for  our  flock,  even  if  it  increases  to  ten 
times  its  number." 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  Ready,  "  we  are  very  fortunate, 
and  have  great  reason  to  be  thankful ;  this  is  exactly 
what  we  required  ;  and  now  let  us  go  on  a  little,  and 
examine  these  patches  of  wood,  and  see  what  they  are. 
I  see  a  bright  green  leaf  out  there,  which,  if  my  eyes 
do  not  fail  me,  I  have  seen  many  a  time  before." 
When  they  arrived  at  the  clump  of  trees  which  Ready 
had  pointed  out,  he  said :  "  Yes,  Master  William,  I 
was  right.  Look  there,  this  is  the  banana ;  it  is  just 
bursting  out  now,  and  will  soon  be  ten  feet  high,  and 


288  MASTE&MAN  READ  F. 

bearing  fruit  which  is  excellent  eating ;  besides  which, 
the  stem  is  capital  fodder  for  the  beasts.  God  is 
gracious." 

"  Here  is  a  plant  I  never  saw  before  :  this  little  one," 
said  William,  pulling  up  a  piece  of  it,  and  showing  it 
to  Ready. 

"But  I  have,  Master  "William.  It  is  what  they  call 
the  bird's-eye  pepper  ;  they  make  Cayenne  pepper  out 
of  it.  Look,  the  pods  are  just  formed  ;  it  will  be  use- 
ful to  us  in  cooking,  as  we  have  no  pepper  left.  Juno 
will  be  quite  pleased.  You  see,  Master  William,  we 
must  have  some  birds  on  the  island  ;  at  least  it  is  most 
probable,  for  all  the  seeds  of  these  plants  and  trees 
must  have  been  brought  here  by  them.  The  banana 
and  the  pepper  are  the  food  of  many  birds.  One  seed 
has  dropped  and  grown  up,  and  then  the  seeds  of  the 
first  have  sowed  themselves,  and  grown  up  every  year, 
and  that  is  the  reason  they  are  all  in  patches  here  and 
there.  What  a  quantity  of  bananas  are  springing  up 
in  this  spot ;  there  will  be  a  little  forest  of  them  in  a 
few  weeks." 

"  What  is  that  rough-looking  sort  of  shrub  out  there, 
Ready  ?" 

"  I  can't  see  so  well  as  you,  Master  William,  so  let 
us  walk  up  to  it.  Oh,  I  know  it  now ;  it  is  what 
they  call  the  prickly-pear  in  the  West  Indies.  I  am 
very  glad  to  have  found  that,  for  it  will  be  very  useful 
to  us." 

"  Is  it  good  eating,  Ready  ?" 

"  Not  particularly ;  and  the  little  spikes  run  into 
your  fingers,  and  are  very  difficult  to  get  rid  of ;  but 
it  is  not  bad  by  way  of  a  change.  No,  sir,  the  use  it 
will  be  to  us  is  to  hedge  in  our  garden,  and  protect  it 


MASTERMAN  READY.  289 

from  the  animals ;  it  makes  a  capital  fence,  and  grows 
very  fast,  and  without  trouble.  Why,  there's  half  an 
acre  of  them;  they  are  just  coming  into  blossom. 
Now  let  us  go  on  to  that  patch  of  trees,  and  see  what 
they  are." 

"  What  is  this  plant,  Keady  ?" 

"  I  don't  know,  Master  William ;  I  can't  say  that  I 
ever  saw  it  before." 

"  Then  I  think  I  had  better  make  a  collection  of  all 
those  you  don't  know,  and  take  them  back  to  my 
father,  for  he  is  a  very  good  botanist,  and  I  dare  say 
will  know  them  all." 

"  We  will  do  so,  sir ;  it  is  a  very  good  thought  of 
yours." 

William  pulled  a  branch  of  the  plant  off,  and 
carried  it  with  him.  On  their  arrival  at  the  next 
patch  of  trees  Keady  looked  at  them  steadfastly  for 
some  time. 

"  Let  me  see,"  said  he ;  u  I  think  I  know  that  tree,  I 
have  often  seen  it  in  hot  countries.  Yes,  I  have  it, 
Master  William  ;  it's  the  guava." 

"  What !  is  it  the  fruit  they  make  guava  jelly  of  ?" 
said  William. 

"  Yes,  Master  William,  the  very  same." 

"  How  Tommy  will  smack  his  lips  when  he  hears  of 
it.  Captain  Osborn  gave  us  guava  jelly  on  our  passage 
out,  and  Tommy  was  never  satisfied,  he  always  wanted 
more." 

"Little  boys  of  Master  Tommy's  age  do  think 
more  of  eating  than  anything  else ;  that's  very  natural,, 
so  we  must  not  be  too  hard  upon  Master  Tommy  ; 
he'll  turn  out  a  fine  fellow  yet,  depend  upon  it,  Master 
William." 


290  MASTERMAN  READY, 

"  I'm  sure  I  hope  so,  Ready,  and  I  really  think  that 
he  will.  Shall  we  go  on  now  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  which  way  would  you  like  to  go  ?" 

"  Let  us  walk  in  the  direction  of  those  five  or  six 
trees,  and  from  there  down  to  the  rocks ;  I  want  to 
find  out  how  it  is  that  they  are  so  white." 

"  Be  it  so,  sir,  if  you  wish,"  replied  Ready. 

"  Why,  Ready,  what  noise  is  that  ?  Hark !  such  a 
chattering,  it  must  be  monkeys." 

"  No,  sir ;  they  are  not  monkeys ;  but  I'll  tell  you 
what  they  are,  although  I  cannot  see  them  :  they  are 
parrots — I  know  their  noise  well.  You  see,  Master 
"William,  it's  not  very  likely  that  monkeys  should  get 
here,  but  birds  can ;  and  it  is  the  birds  that  we  have 
to  thank  for  the  bananas,  and  guavas,  and  other  fruits 
we  may  find  here." 

As  soon  as  they  came  under  the  trees  there  was  a 
great  rioting  and  fluttering,  and  then  flew  away, 
screaming  as  loud  as  they  could,  a  flock  of  about  three 
hundred  parrots,  their  beautiful  green  and  blue  feathers 
glistening  in  the  beams  of  the  sun. 

"  I  told  you  so,  sir ;  well,  we'll  have  some  capital 
pies  out  of  them,  Master  William." 

"  Pies  !  do  they  make  good  pies,  Ready  ?" 

"  Yes,  excellent ;  and  very  often  have  I  had  a  good 
dinner  from  one  in  the  West  Indies  and  in  South 
America.  Stop,  sir,  let  us  come  a  little  this  way ;  I 
see  a  leaf  which  I  should  like  to  examine." 

"  The  ground  is  very  swampy  just  here,  Ready ;  is  it 
not?" 

"  Yes  ;  there's  plenty  of  water  below,  I  don't  doubt. 
So  much  the  better  for  the  animals ;  we  must  dig  some 
pools  when  they  come  here." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  291 

"  Oh !  I  thought  I  was  not  wrong.  Look,  sir  !  this 
is  the  best  thing  I  have  found  yet — we  now  need  not 
care  so  much  about  potatoes." 

"  "Why,  what  are  they,  Keady  ?" 

"  Yams,  sir  ;  yams,  which  they  use  instead  of  pota- 
toes in  the  "West  Indies.  Indeed,  potatoes  do  not 
remain  potatoes  long,  when  planted  in  the  hot 
climates." 

"  How  do  you  mean,  Ready  ?" 

"  They  turn  into  what  they  call  sweet  potatoes, 
after  one  or  two  crops ;  yams  are  better  things,  in  my 
opinion." 

At  this  moment  the  dogs  dashed  among  the  broad 
yam  leaves,  and  commenced  baying ;  there  was  a  great 
rustling  and  snorting. 

"  What's  that  ?"  cried  "William,  who  had  been  stoop- 
ing down  to  examine  the  yam  plant,  and  who  was 
startled  at  the  noise. 

Ready  laughed  heartily.  "It  isn't  the  first  time 
that  they've  made  you  jump,  Master  William." 

"Why,  it's  our  pigs  ;  isn't  it?"  replied  William. 

"  To  be  sure  ;  they're  in  the  yam  patch,  very  busy 
feeding  on  them,  I'll  be  bound." 

Ready  gave  a  shout,  and  a  grunting  and  rushing 
were  heard  among  the  broad  leaves,  and,  very  soon, 
out  rushed,  instead  of  the  six,  about  thirty  pigs,  large 
and  small;  who,  snorting  and  twisting  their  tails, 
galloped  away  at  a  great  rate  across  the  pasture  land, 
until  they  gained  the  cocoanut  grove. 

"  How  wild  they  are,  Ready,"  said  William. 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  they'll  be  wilder  every  day ;  but  we 
must  fence  these  yams  from  them,  or  we  shall  get  none 
ourselves." 


292  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  But  they'll  beat  down  the  fence  before  it  grows 
up." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  we'll  pale  it  in  with  cocoanut  palings, 
and  plant  the  prickly  pears  outside ;  before  the  palings 
are  rotten  the  prickly  pears  will  make  a  hedge  which 
no  animal  can  get  through.  Now,  sir,  we'll  go  down 
to  the  seaside." 

As  they  neared  the  rocks,  which  were  bare  for  about 
fifty  yards  from  the  water's  edge,  Ready  said  :  "  I  can 
tell  you  now  what  those  white  patches  on  the  rocks 
are,  Master  William ;  they  are  the  places  where  the 
sea-birds  come  to  every  year  to  make  their  nests  and 
bring  up  their  young.  They  always  come  to  the  same 
place  every  year,  if  they  are  not  disturbed."  They 
soon  arrived  at  the  spot,  and  found  it  white  with  the 
feathers  of  birds,  mixed  up  with  dirt. 

"  I  see  no  nests,  Ready,  nor  the  remains  of  any." 

"  No,  sir,  they  do  not  make  any  nests  further  than 
scratching  a  round  hole,  about  half  an  inch  deep,  in 
the  soil,  and  there  they  lay  their  eggs,  sitting  quite 
close  to  one  another ;  they  will  soon  be  here  and  begin 
to  lay,  and  then  we  will  come  and  take  the  eggs,  if  we 
want  any,  for  they  are  not  bad  eating." 

"  Why,  Ready,  what  a  quantity  of  good  things  we 
have  found  out  already.  This  has  been  a  very  fortu- 
nate expedition  of  ours." 

"  Yes,  it  has ;  and  we  may  thank  God  for  His  good- 
ness, who  thus  provides  for  us  so  plentifully  in  the 
wilderness ;  and  recollect  that  every  year,  if  we  are 
industrious,  we  shall  add  to  our  means." 

"  Do  you  know,  Ready,  I  cannot  help  thinking  that 
we  ought  to  have  built  our  house  here." 

"Not  so,  Master  William;    we  have  not  the  pure 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  293 

water,  recollect,  and  we  have  not  the  advantages  of 
the  sandy  beach,  where  we  have  our  turtle  and  fish- 
pond. No,  Master  William :  we  may  feed  our  stock 
here  ;  we  may  gather  the  fruit,  taking  our  share  of  it 
with  the  poor  birds ;  we  may  get  our  j^ams,  and  every 
other  good  provided  for  us ;  but  our  house  and  home 
must  be  where  it  is  now." 

"  You  are  right,  Ready  ;  but  it  will  be  a  long  walk." 

"  Not  when  we  are  accustomed  to  it,  and  have  made 
a  beaten  path,  Master  "William ;  besides  we  may  bring 
the  boat  round,  perhaps.  I  wish  to  go  down  to  the 
rocks  to  see." 

They  then  walked  along  the  seaside  for  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  until  they  came  to  where  the  rocks 
were  not  so  high,  and  there  they  discovered  a  little 
basin,  completely  formed  in  the  rocks,  with  a  narrow 
entrance. 

"  See,  Master  William,  what  a  nice  little  harbor  for 
our  boat ;  we  may  here  load  it  with  yams  and  take  it 
round  to  the  bay,  provided  we  can  find  an  entrance 
through  the  reefs  on  the  southern  side  of  it,  which  we 
have  not  looked  for  yet,  because  we  have  not  required 
it." 

"  Yes,  Eeady,  it  is  indeed  a  nice,  smooth  little  place 
for  the  boat ;  but  how  shall  we  find  it  out  again  when 
we  come  on  this  side  of  the  island  in  the  boat  ?" 

"  Yery  easily,  Master  William,  for  I'll  fix  a  flagstaff 
as  a  mark." 

"  What  is  that  thing  on  the  bottom  there,  Eeady  ?" 
said  William,  pointing  in  the  direction. 

"  I  see  it,  sir ;  that  is  a  sea-crawfish,  quite  as  good 
eating  as  a  lobster.  I  wonder  if  I  could  make  a  lobster- 
pot  ;  we  should  catch  plenty,  and  very  good  they  are." 


294  MASTERMAN  READ  T. 

"And  what  are  those  little  rough  things  on  the 
rocks?" 

"  They  are  a  very  nice  little  sort  of  oyster,  sir,  very 
sweet;  not  like  those  we  have  in  England,  but  very 
much  better  indeed,  they  are  so  delicate." 

"  Why,  Ready,  we  have  two  more  good  things  for 
our  table  again,"  replied  William.  "How  rich  we 
shall  be." 

"Yes,  sir;  but  we  have  to  catch  them,  recollect; 
there  is  nothing  to  be  had  in  this  world  without  labor. 
The  world  is  full  of  all  that  is  useful  to  man ;  but  the 
Almighty  has  declared  that  it  is  by  the  sweat  of  the 
brow  that  we  are  to  gain  our  bread." 

"  Ready,"  said  William,  "  we  have  good  three  hours' 
daylight ;  suppose  we  go  back  and  tell  what  we  have 
seen :  my  mother  will  be  so  glad  to  see  us." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Master  William.  We  have  done 
well  for  one  day  ;  and  may  safely  go  back  again,  and 
remain  for  another  week,  if  that  is  all ;  that  is,  if  we 
are  wanted.  There  are  no  fruits  at  present,  and  all  I 
care  about  are  the  yams ;  I  should  like  to  protect  them 
from  the  pigs.  But  let  us  go  home  and  talk  the  mat- 
ter over  with  Mr.  Seagrave." 

William,  as  he  walked  away  from  the  beach  toward 
the  cocoanut  grove,  picked  a  sprig  of  every  plant  he 
fell  in  with,  to  take  back  to  his  father.  They  found  out 
the  spot  where  they  had  left  their  knapsacks  and 
hatchets,  and  again  took  their  path  through  the  cocoa- 
nut-trees,  following  the  blaze  which  they  had  made  in 
the  morning.  One  hour  before  sunset  they  arrived  at 
the  house,  where  they  found  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave 
sitting  outside,  and  Juno  standing  on  the  beach  with 
the  two  children,  who  were  amusing  themselves  with 


MA STERMAN  READ  Y.  295 

picking  up  the  shells  which  were  strewed  about. 
William  gave  a  very  clear  account  of  all  they  had 
seen,  and  showed  his  father  the  specimens  of  the 
plants  which  they  had  collected. 

"  This,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  is  a  well-known  plant ; 
and  I  wonder  Eeady  did  not  recognize  it ;  it  is 
hemp." 

"  I  never  saw  it  except  in  the  shape  of  rope,"  replied 
Keady.  "  I  know  the  seed  well  enough." 

"  Well,  if  we  require  it,  I  can  tell  you  how  to  dress 
it,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave.  u!N"ow,  William,  what  is 
the  next  ?" 

"  This  odd-looking  rough  thing." 

"That's  the  egg-plant:  it  bears  a  fruit  of  a  blue 
color.  I  am  told  they  eat  it  in  the  hot  countries." 

"  Yes,  sir,  they  do ;  they  fry  it  with  pepper  and  salt ; 
they  call  it  bringal ;  I  think  it  must  be  that." 

"  I  do  not  doubt  but  you  are  right,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave.  "  Why,  William,  you  should  know  this." 

"  It  is  like  the  grape-vine." 

"  Yes,  and  it  is  so ;  it  is  the  wild  grape ;  we  shall  eat 
them  by  and  by ;  perhaps  make  wine ;  who  knows  ?" 

"  I  have  only  one  more,  papa ;  what  is  this  ?" 

"  You  don't  know  it  because  it  has  sprung  up  so  high, 
William ;  but  it  is  the  common  mustard-plant — what 
we  use  in  England,  and  sold  as  mustard  and  cress. 
Well,  I  think  you  have  now  made  a  famous  day's  work 
of  it ;  and  we  have  much  to  thank  God  for.  Here 
comes  Juno  to  get  supper  on  the  table ;  so  we  will  go : 
the  sun  is  disappearing,  and  it  will  be  dark  in  a  few 
minutes." 

As  soon  as  they  had  returned  to  the  house  a  consul- 
tation was  held  as  to  their  future  proceedings;  and 


296  MASTERMAN  READY. 

after  some  debate  it  was  agreed  that  it  would  be  ad- 
visable that  they  should  take  the  boat  out  of  the  sand ; 
and  as  soon  as  it  was  ready  examine  the  reef  on  the 
southward,  to  see  if  they  could  find  a  passage  through 
it,  as  it  would  take  a  long  while  to  go  round  it ;  and 
as  soon  as  that  was  accomplished  Mr.  Seagrave,  Heady, 
William,  and  Juno,  should  all  go  through  the  wood, 
carrying  with  them  a  tent  to  pitch  on  the  newly  dis- 
covered piece  of  ground ;  and  that  they  should  set  up 
a  flagstaff  at  the  little  harbor  to  point  out  its  position. 
Of  course,  that  would  be  a  hard  day's  work ;  but  that, 
they  would,  nevertheless,  return  the  same  night,  and 
not  leave  Mrs.  Seagrave  alone  with  the  children.  Hav- 
ing accomplished  this,  Ready  and  William  would  then 
put  the  wheels  and  axle  in  the  boat,  and  other  articles 
required,  such  as  saw,  hatchets,  and  spades,  and  row 
round  to  the  south  side  of  the  island,  to  find  the  little 
harbor.  As  soon  as  they  had  landed  them  and  secured 
the  boat  they  would  then  return  by  the  path  through 
the  wood. 

The  next  job  would  be  to  rail  in  the  yam  plantation 
to  keep  off  the  pigs,  and  at  the  same  time,  to  drive  the 
sheep  and  goats  through  the  wood,  that  they  might 
feed  on  the  new  pasture  ground ;  the  old  one  was  to  be 
reserved  for  cutting  and  making  into  hay  for  fodder. 
Ready  and  William  were  then  to  cut  down  cocoanut- 
trees  sufficient  for  the  paling,  fix  up  the  posts,  and 
when  that  was  done  Mr.  Seagrave  was  to  come  to 
them  and  assist  them  in  railing  it  in,  and  drawing 
the  timber.  This  they  expected  would  be  all  done 
in  about  a  month ;  and  during  that  time,  as  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  and  Juno  would  be,  for  the  greatest  part  of  it, 
left  at  the  house,  they  were  to  employ  themselves  in 


MASTERMAN  READY.  29? 

clearing  the  garden  of  weeds,  and  making  preparation 
for  fencing  it  in. 

As  soon  as  this  important  work  had  been  completed 
the  boat  would  return  to  the  bay  with  a  load  of 
prickly-pears  for  the  garden  fence,  and  then  they  were 
to  direct  their  attention  to  the  stores  which  had  been 
saved  from  the  wreck,  and  were  lying  in  the  cove 
where  they  had  first  landed.  When  they  had  ex- 
amined them,  and  brought  round  what  were  required, 
and  secured  them  in  the  storehouse,  they  would  then 
have  a  regular  survey  of  the  island  by  land  and  by 
water,  and  make  a  map  of  it,  which  Mr.  Seagrave  knew 
very  well  how  to  do.  Such  were  the  arrangements 
proposed  for  the  season  of  fine  weather  which  had  now 
commenced.  But  man  proposes  and  God  disposes,  as 
will  be  shown  by  the  interruption  of  their  intended 
projects  which  we  shall  have  to  narrate  in  the  ensuing 
chapter. 


298  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XLIIL 

A   SHIP  IN   SIGHT. 

As  usual,  Ready  was  the  first  up  on  the  following 
morning,  and,  having  greeted  Juno,  who  followed  him 
out  of  the  house,  he  set  off  on  his  accustomed  rounds 
to  examine  into  the  stock  and  their  other  possessions. 
He  was  standing  in  the  garden  at  the  point.  First  he 
thought  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  get  ready  some 
sticks  for  the  peas,  which  were  now  seven  or  eight 
inches  out  of  the  ground ;  he  had  proceeded  a  little 
further,  to  where  the  calivances,  or  French  haricot 
beans,  had  been  sown,  and  had  decided  upon  the  pro- 
priety of  hoeing  up  the  earth  round  them,  as  they  were 
a  very  valuable  article  of  food,  that  would  keep,  and 
afford  many  a  good  dish  during  the  rainy  or  winter 
season.  He  had  gone  on  to  ascertain  if  the  cucumber 
seeds  had  shown  themselves  above  the  ground,  and 
was  pleased  to  find  that  they  were  doing  well.  He 
said  to  himself,  "  We  have  no  vinegar,  that  I  know  of, 
but  we  can  preserve  them  in  salt  and  water,  as  they  do 
in  Russia ;  it  will  be  a  change,  at  all  events ;"  and  then 
he  raised  his  eyes  and  looked  out  to  the  offing,  and,  as 
usual,  scanned  the  horizon.  He  thought  he  saw  a  ship 
to  the  northeast,  and  he  applied  his  telescope  to  his 
eye.  He  was  not  mistaken — it  was  a  vessel. 

The  old   man's  heart  beat  quick;   he  dropped  his 


MASTERMAN  READY.  299 

telescope  on  his  arm,  and  fetched  some  heavy  breaths 
before  he  could  recover  from  the  effect  of  this  unex- 
pected sight.  After  a  minute  he  again  put  his  tele- 
scope to  his  eye,  and  then  made  her  out  to  be  a  brig 
under  topsails  and  top-gallant  sails,  steering  directly 
for  the  island. 

Ready  walked  to  the  rocky  point,  from  which  they 
fished,  and  sat  down  to  reflect.  Could  it  be  that  the 
vessel  had  been  sent  after  them,  or  that  she  had  by 
mere  chance  come  among  the  islands  ?  He  decided, 
after  a  short  time,  that  it  must  be  chance,  for  none 
could  know  that  they  were  saved,  much  less  that  they 
were  on  the  island.  Her  steering  toward  the  island 
must  then  be  either  that  she  required  water  or  some- 
thing else ;  perhaps  she  would  alter  her  course  and 
pass  by  them.  "  At  all  events,"  thought  the  old  man, 
"  we  are  in  the  hands  of  God,  who  will,  at  His  own 
time  and  in  His  own  way,  do  with  us  as  He  thinks  fit. 
I  will  not  at  present  say  anything  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Seagrave.  It  would  be  cruel  to  raise  hopes  which 
might  end  in  disappointment.  A  few  hours  will  de- 
cide. And  yet  I  cannot  do  without  help — I  must  trust 
Master  William — he  is  a  noble  boy,  that,  and  clever 
beyond  his  years ;  if  he  lives  he  will  turn  out  a  great 
and,  what  is  better,  a  good  man." 

Ready  rose  up  again,  examined  the  vessel  with  his 
telescope,  and  then  walked  toward  the  house.  William 
was  up,  and  the  remainder  of  the  family  were  stirring. 

"  William,"  said  Ready  to  him,  as  they  walked  away 
from  the  house,  "  I  have  a  secret  to  tell  you,  which 
you  will  at  once  see  the  necessity  of  not  telling  to  any 
one  at  present.  A  few  hours  will  decide  the  question." 
William  readily  gave  his  promise.  "  There  is  a  vessel 


300  M ASTERN  AN  HEAVY. 

off  the  island ;  she  may  be  the  means  of  rescuing  us, 
or  she  may  pass  without  seeing  us.  It  would  be  too 
cruel  a  disappointment  to  your  father  and  mother  if 
the  latter  were  the  case." 

William  stared  at  Ready,  and  for  a  moment  could 
not  speak,  his  excitement  was  so  great. 

"  Oh,  Ready,  how  grateful  I  am !  How  I  do  thank 
God  !  I  trust  that  we  may  be  taken  away,  for  you 
have  no  idea  how  my  poor  father  suffers  in  silence — 
and  so  does  my  mother." 

"  I  know  it,  Master  William,  I  know  it,  and  it  is 
natural ;  they  do  their  best  to  control  their  yearnings, 
and  they  can  do  no  more.  But  now,  Master  William, 
we  must  be  quick,  and  at  work  before  breakfast.  But 
stop,  I  will  show  you  the  vessel." 

Ready  caught  the  vessel  in  the  field  of  the  telescope, 
which  he  leaned  against  the  trunk  of  a  cocoanut,  and 
William  put  his  eye  to  the  glass. 

"  Do  you  see  her,  sir  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  Ready,  and  she  is  coming  this  way." 

"  Yes,  sir,  she  is  steering  right  for  the  island  ;  but 
do  not  talk  so  loud ;  I  will  put  the  telescope  down 
here,  and  we  will  go  about  our  work ;  there  is  an  ax 
at  the  storehouse.  Come,  Master  William ;  corne, 
quick,  before  your  father  leaves  the  house." 

William  and  Ready  went  to  the  storehouse  for  the 
ax.  Ready  selected  a  very  slight  cocoanut-tree  near- 
est to  the  beach,  which  he  cut  down,  and  as  soon  as 
the  top  was  taken  off,  with  the  assistance  of  William, 
he  carried  it  down  to  the  point. 

"  Now,  Master  William,  go  for  a  shovel  and  dig  a 
hole  here,  that  we  may  fix  it  up  as  a  flagstaff.  When 
all  is  ready  I  will  go  for  a  small  block  and  some  rope 


MASTERMAN  READY.  301 

for  halyards  to  hoist  up  the  flags  as  soon  as  the  vessel 
is  likely  to  see  them.  When  the  hole  is  deep  enough 
come  up  to  breakfast  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  At 
breakfast-time  I  shall  propose  that  you  and  I  get  the 
boat  out  of  the  sand  and  examine  her,  and  give  Mr. 
Seagrave  some  work  indoors." 

"  But  the  flags,  Keady  ;  they  are  round  my  mother's 
bed.  How  shall  we  get  them  ?" 

"  Suppose  I  say  that  it  is  time  that  the  house  should 
be  well  cleaned,  and  that  the  canvas  hangings  of  the 
bed  should  be  taken  out  to  be  aired  this  fine  day.  Ask 
your  father  to  take  the  direction  of  the  work  while  we 
dig  out  the  boat ;  that  will  employ  them  all  inside  the 
house." 

"  Yes,  that  will  do,  Keady." 

During  breakfast-time  Eeady  observed  that  he  in- 
tended to  get  the  boat  out  of  the  sand,  and  that  Will- 
iam should  assist  him. 

"  And  what  am  I  to  do,  Eeady  ?"  said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  Why,  sir,  I  think,  now  that  the  rains  are  over,  it 
would  not  be  a  bad  thing  if  we  were  to  air  bedding,  as 
they  say  at  sea ;  it  is  a  fine,  warm  day,  and  if  all  the 
bedding  was  taken  out  of  the  house  and  well  shaken 
and  then  left  out  to  air,  it  would  be  a  very  good  job 
over ;  for  you  see,  sir,  I  have  thought  more  than  once 
that  the  house  does  smell  a  little  close." 

"  It  will  be  a  very  good  thing,  Eeady,"  observed 
Mrs.  Seagrave  ;  "  and  at  the  same  time,  Juno  and  I 
"will  give  the  house  a  thorough  cleaning  and  sweeping." 

"  Had  we  not  better  have  the  canvas  screens  down 
and  air  them  too  ?"  said  William. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Eeady ;  "  we  had  better  air 
everything.  We  will  assist  in  taking  down  the  screens 


302  MASTERMAN  READY. 

and  flags,  and  spread  them  out  to  air,  and  then  if  Mr. 
Seagrave  has  no  objection,  we  will  leave  him  to  super- 
intend and  assist  Madam  Seagrave  and  Juno." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  "We 
have  done  breakfast,  and  will  begin  as  soon  as  you 
please." 

Ready  and  "William  took  down  the  canvas  screens 
and  flags,  and  went  out  of  the  cottage  with  them ; 
they  spread  out  the  canvas  at  some  distance  from  the 
house,  and  then  William  went  down  to  the  beach  with 
the  flags,  while  Ready  procured  the  block  and  small 
rope  to  hoist  them  up  with. 

Ready's  stratagem  answered  well.  Without  being 
perceived  by  those  in  the  cottage,  the  flagstaff  was 
raised,  and  fixed  in  the  ground,  and  the  flags  all  ready 
for  hoisting ;  then  Ready  and  William  returned  to  the 
fuel-stack,  and  each  carried  down  as  much  stuff  as  they 
could  hold,  that  they  might  make  a  smoke  to  attract  the 
notice  of  those  on  board  the  vessel.  All  this  did  not 
occupy  much  more  than  an  hour,  during  which  the  brig 
continued  her  course  steadily  toward  the  island. 
When  Ready  first  saw  her  the  wind  was  light,  but 
latterly  the  breeze  had  increased  very  much,  and  at 
last  the  brig  took  in  her  top-gallant  sails.  The  horizon 
behind  the  vessel,  which  had  been  quite  clear,  was 
now  banked  up  Avith  clouds,  and  the  waves  curled  in 
white  foam  over  the  reefs  of  rocks  extending  from  the 
island. 

"  The  breeze  is  getting  up  strong,  Master  William," 
said  Ready,  "  and  she  will  soon  be  down,  if  she  is  not 
frightened  at  the  reefs,  which  she  can  see  plainer,  now 
the  water  is  rough,  than  she  could  before." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  303 

"  I  trust  she  will  not  be  afraid,"  replied  William. 
"  How  far  do  you  think  she  is  off  now  ?" 

"  About  five  miles,  Master  William  ;  not  more.  The 
wind  has  hauled  round  more  to  the  southward,  and  it 
is  banking  up  fast,  I  see.  I  fear  that  we  shall  have 
another  smart  gale;  however,  it  won't  last  long. 
Come,  Master  William,  let  us  hoist  the  flags;  we  must 
not  lose  a  chance  ;  the  flags  will  blow  nice  and  clear 
for  them  to  see  them." 

William  and  Ready  hoisted  up  the  ensign  first,  and 
below  it  the  flag,  with  the  ship's  name,  "  Pacific,"  in 
large  letters  upon  it.  "  Now,  then,"  said  Eeady,  as  he 
made  fast  the  halyards, "  let  us  strike  a  light  and  make 
a  smoke  ;  that  will  attract  their  notice." 

As  soon  as  the  cocoanut  leaves  were  lighted  Ready 
and  William  threw  water  upon  them,  so  as  to  damp 
them  and  procure  a  heavy  column  of  smoke.  The 
vessel  approached  rapidly,  and  they  were  watching 
her  in  silent  suspense,  when  they  perceived  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Seagrave,  Juno  carrying  Albert,  with  Tommy 
and  Caroline,  running  down  as  fast  as  they  could  to 
the  beach.  The  fact  was,  that  Tommy,  tired  of  work, 
had  gone  out  of  the  house  and  walked  toward  the 
beach ;  there  he  perceived,  first,  the  flags  hoisted,  and 
then  he  detected  the  vessel  off  the  island.  He  im- 
mediately ran  back  to  the  house,  crying  out,  "  Papa  ! 
mamma !  Captain  Osborn  come  back — come  back  in  a 
big  ship."  At  this  announcement  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  ran  out  of  the  house,  perceived  the  vessel,  and 
the  flags  flying,  and,  as  we  have  stated,  ran  as  fast  as 
they  could  down  to  where  William  and  Ready  were 
standing  by  the  flagstaff. 


304  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Oh  !  Keady,  why  did  you  not  tell  us  this  before  ?" 
exclaimed  Mr.  Seagrave,  out  of  breath. 

"  I  wish  you  had  not  known  it  now,  sir,"  replied 
Ready  ;  "  but,  however,  it  can't  be  helped  ;  it  was  done 
out  of  kindness,  Mr.  Seagrave." 

"Yes,  indeed  it  was,  papa." 

Mrs.  Seagrave  dropped  down  on  the  rock,  and  burst 
into  tears.  Mr.  Seagrave  was  equally  excited. 

"  Does  she  see  us,  Ready  ?"  exclaimed  he  at  last. 

"  No,  sir,  not  yet,  and  I  waited  till  she  did  before  I 
made  it  known  to  you,"  replied  Ready. 

"  She  is  altering  her  course,  Ready,"  said  "William. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  she  has  hauled  to  the  wind  ;  she  is  afraid 
of  coming  too  near  to  the  reefs." 

"  Surely  she  is  not  leaving  us,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave. 

"  No,  madam  ;  but  she  does  not  see  us  yet." 

"  She  does  !  she  does  !"  cried  "William,  throwing  up 
his  hat ;  "  see,  she  hoists  her  ensign." 

"  Yery  true,  sir ;  she  does  see  us.  Thanks  be  to 
God!"  " 

Mr.  Seagrave  embraced  his  wife,  who  threw  herself 
sobbing  into  his  arms,  kissed  his  children  with  rapture, 
and  wrung  old  Ready's  hand.  He  was  almost  frantic 
with  joy.  "William  was  equally  delighted.  Juno 
grinned  and  laughed,  while  the  tears  ran  down  her 
cheeks,  and  Tommy  took  little  Caroline  by  her  two 
hands,  and  they  danced  round  and  round  together. 

As  soon  as  they  were  a  little  more  composed  Ready 
observed :  "  Mr.  Seagrave,  that  they  have  seen  us  is 
certain,  and  what  we  must  now  do  is  to  get  our  own 
boat  out  of  the  sand.  We  know  the  passage  through 
the  reefs,  and  they  do  not.  I  doubt  if  they  will,  how- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  305 

ever,  venture  to  send  a  boat  on  shore  until  the  wind 
moderates  a  little.  You  see,  sir,  it  is  blowing  up  very 
strong  just  now." 

"  But  you  don't  think  it  will  blow  harder,  Keady  ?" 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say,  sir,  that  I  do.  It  looks  very 
threatening  to  the  southward,  and  until  the  gale  is 
over  they  will  not  venture  near  an  island  so  surrounded 
with  rocks.  It  would  be  very  imprudent  if  they  did. 
However,  sir,  a  few  hours  will  decide." 

"  But  surety,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  even  if  it  does 
blow,  they  will  not  leave  the  island  without  taking  us 
off.  They  will  come  after  the  gale  is  over." 

"  Yes,  madam,  if  they  can,  I  do  think  they  will ;  but 
God  knows,  some  men  have  hard  hearts,  and  feel  little 
for  the  misery  of  others." 

The  brig  had,  in  the  meantime,  kept  away  again,  as 
if  she  was  running  in ;  but  very  soon  afterward  she 
hauled  to  the  wind,  with  her  head  to  the  northward, 
and  stood  away  from  the  island. 

"She  is  leaving  us,"  exclaimed  William  mourn- 
fully. 

"  Hard-hearted  wretches !"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  with 
indignation. 

"  You  are  wrong  to  say  that,  sir,"  replied  Keady  ; 
"  excuse  me,  Mr.  Seagrave,  for  being  so  being  so  bold  ; 
but  the  fact  is,  that  if  I  was  in  command  of  that  vessel 
I  should  do  just  as  they  have  done.  The  gale  rises 
fast,  and  it  would  be  dangerous  for  them  to  remain 
where  they  now  are.  It  does  not  at  all  prove  that  they 
intend  to  leave  us ;  they  but  consult  their  own  safety, 
and,  when  the  gale  is  over,  we  shall,  I  trust,  see  them 
again." 

No  reply  was  made  to  Ready's  judicious  remarks. 


306  MASTERMAN  READY. 

The  Seagraves  only  saw  that  the  vessel  was  leaving 
them,  and  their  hearts  sank.  They  watched  her  in 
silence,  and  as  she  gradually  diminished  to  the  view,  so 
did  their  hopes  depart  from  them.  The  wind  was  now 
fierce,  and  a  heavy  squall,  with  rain,  obscured  the 
offing,  and  the  vessel  was  no  longer  to  be  dis- 
tinguished. Mr.  Seagrave  turned  to  his  wife,  and 
mournfully  offered  her  his  arm.  They  walked  away 
from  the  beach  without  speaking ;  the  remainder  of 
the  party,  with  the  exception  of  old  Keady,  followed 
them.  How  different  was  their  return  to  the  house 
from  the  joyous  descent  to  the  beach  !  Keady  re- 
mained some  time  with  his  eyes  in  the  direction  where 
the  vessel  was  last  seen.  He  was  melancholy,  for  he 
had  a  foreboding  that  it  would  be  seen  no  more.  At 
last  he  hauled  down  the  ensign  and  flag,  and  throwing 
them  over  his  shoulder,  followed  the  disconsolate  party 
to  the  house. 


MASTERMAN  KEADY.  30? 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 
THE   SAVAGES'  CANOE. 

WHEN  Ready  arrived  he  found  them  all  plunged  in 
such  deep  distress  that  he  did  not  consider  it  advisable 
to  say  anything.  The  evening  closed  in ;  it  was  time 
to  retire.  The  children  had  already  been  put  to  bed  ; 
but  Mr.  Seagrave  remained  without  speaking,  holding 
his  wife  by  her  hand.  Mrs.  Seagrave's  head  was  rested 
upon  her  husband's  shoulder,  and  an  occasional  low 
sob  was  to  be  heard.  The  countenance  of  Mr.  Seagrave 
was  not  only  gloomy,  but  morose.  The  hour  for  retir- 
ing to  rest  had  long  passed,  when  Ready  broke  the 
silence  by  saying :  "  Surely  you  do  not  intend  to  sit  up 
all  night,  Mr.  Seagrave  ?" 

"  Oh,  no  ;  there's  no  use  sitting  up  now,"  replied  Mr. 
Seagrave,  rising  up  impatiently.  "  Come,  my  dear,  let 
us  go  to  bed." 

Mrs.  Seagrave  rose,  and  retired  behind  the  canvas 
screen.  Her  husband  seemed  as  if  he  was  about  to 
follow  her,  when  Ready,  without  speaking,  laid  the 
Bible  on  the  table  before  him.  Mr.  Seagrave  did  not 
appear  to  notice  it ;  but  William  touched  his  father's 
arm,  pointed  to  the  book,  and  then  went  inside  of  the 
screen,  and  led  out  his  mother. 

"  God  forgive  me  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  in 
my  selfishness  and  discontent  I  had  forgotten " 

"  Yes,  sir,  you  had  forgotten  those  words,  '  Come 


308  MASTERMAN  READY. 

unto  me,  all  ye  who  are  weary  and  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest.'  Those  words  are  true,  sir  ;  I  have 
felt  them  to  be  so." 

"  I  am  ashamed  of  myself,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave, 
bursting  into  tears. 

Mr.  Seagrave  opened  the  Bible  and  read  the  psalm. 
As  soon  as  he  had  closed  the  book,  "  good-night  "  was 
all  the  word  that  passed,  and  they  all  retired  to  rest. 

During  the  night  the  wind  howled  and  the  rain  beat 
down.  The  children  slept  soundly,  but  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Seagrave,  Ready,  and  William,  were  awake  during 
the  whole  of  the  night,  listening  to  the  storm,  and 
occupied  with  their  own  thoughts.  It  was  the  most 
unhappy  night  that  had  been  passed  since  they  first 
landed. 

Ready  was  dressed  before  daylight,  and  out  on  the 
beach  before  the  sun  had  risen.  The  gale  was  at  its 
height ;  and,  after  a  careful  survey  with  his  telescope, 
he  could  see  nothing  of  the  vessel.  He  remained  on 
the  beach  till  breakfast-time,  when  he  was  summoned 
by  William,  and  returned  to  the  house.  He  found 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  up,  and  more  composed  than 
they  were  the  evening  before ;  and  they  welcomed  him 
warmly. 

"I  fear,  Ready,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "that  you  have 
no  good  news  for  us." 

"  No,  sir,  nor  can  you  expect  any  good  news  until 
after  the  gale  is  over." 

"  Tell  me,  Ready,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  do  you 
really  think  that  the  vessel  will  come  back  for  us  ?" 

"  I  will  tell  you  what  our  chances  are,  madam,  and 
I  can  do  no  more.  The  vessel  could  not  remain  here 
during  the  gale — that  is  certain ;  and  there  is  no  say- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  309 

ing  what  the  effects  of  the  gale  may  be.  She  may 
lie-to,  and  not  be  far  from  us  when  the  gale  is  over ; 
or  she  may  be  obliged  to  scud  before  the  gale,  and  run 
some  hundred  miles  from  us.  Then,  madam,  comes 
the  next  chance.  I  think,  by  her  running  for  the 
island,  that  she  was  short  of  water ;  the  question  is, 
then,  whether  she  may  not  find  it  necessary  to  run  for 
the  port  she  is  bound  to,  or  water  at  some  other  place. 
You  know,  madam,  that  a  captain  of  a  vessel  is  bound 
to  do  his  best  for  the  owners.  At  the  same  time  I  do 
think  that  if  she  can  with  propriety  come  back  for  us 
she  will.  The  question  is,  first,  whether  she  can  ;  and, 
secondly,  whether  the  captain  is  a  humane  man,  and 
will  do  so  at  his  own  inconvenience." 

"  There  is  but  poor  comfort  in  all  that,  Heady," 
replied  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  It  is  useless  holding  out  false  hopes,  sir,"  replied 
Ready ;  "  but  even  if  the  vessel  continues  her  voyage, 
I  consider  we  have  much  to  be  thankful  for." 

"  In  what,  Eeady  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  no  one  knew  whether  we  were  in  exist- 
ence or  not,  and  probably  we  never  should  have  been 
searched  for ;  but  now  we  have  made  it  known,  and 
by  the  ship's  name  on  the  flag  they  know  who  we  are, 
and,  if  they  arrive  safe  in  port,  will  not  fail  to  com- 
municate the  intelligence  to  your  friends.  Is  not  that 
a  great  deal  to  be  thankful  for  ?  We  may  not  be  taken 
off  by  this  vessel,  but  we  have  every  hope  that  another 
will  be  sent  out  to  us." 

"  Yery  true,  Ready  ;  I  ought  to  have  seen  that  be- 
fore ;  but  my  despair  and  disappointment  were  yester- 
day so  great  that  it  almost  took  away  my  reason.  We 
must  trust  in  God." 


310  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  I'm  glad  to  hear  you  say  that,  sir,"  replied  Keady ; 
"  I  thought  you  would  soon  return  to  your  usual  frame 
of  mind.  I  felt  for  you,  I  assure  you ;  and  indeed  I 
feel  for  you  now.  I  know  how  dreadful  this  state  of 
suspense  must  be." 

"  Let  us  say  no  more  about  it,  Ready ;  we  are  but 
imperfect  creatures ;  and  God  is  merciful  when  we  re- 
pent of  our  folly  and  our  wickedness." 

The  gale  continued  during  the  day,  and  showed  no 
symptoms  of  abatement  when  they  again  retired  for 
the  night.  The  following  day  Ready  was  up  early,  as 
usual,  and  William  accompanied  him  to  the  beach. 

"  I  don't  think  that  it  blows  so  hard  as  it  did, 
Ready." 

"  No,  Master  William,  it  does  not ;  the  gale  is  break- 
ing, and  by  night,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  be  over.  It 
is,  however,  useless  looking  for  the  vessel,  as  she  must 
be  a  long  way  from  this.  It  would  take  her  a  week, 
perhaps,  to  come  back  to  us,  if  she  was  to  try  to  do  so, 
unless  the  wind  should  change  to  the  northward  or 
westward." 

"  Ready !  Ready !"  exclaimed  William,  pointing  to 
the  southeast  part  of  the  reef  ;  "  what  is  that  ?  Look ! 
it's  a  boat." 

Ready  put  his  telescope  to  his  eye.  "  It's  a  canoe, 
Master  William,  and  there  are  people  in  it." 

"Why,  where  can  they  have  come  from,  Ready? 
See !  they  are  among  the  breakers  ;  they  will  be  lost. 
Let  us  go  toward  them,  Ready." 

They  hastened  along  the  beach  to  the  spot  nearest 
to  where  the  canoe  was  tossing  on  the  surf,  and  watched 
it  as  it  approached  the  shore. 

"  Master  William,  this  canoe  must  have  been  blown 


MABTERMAN  READ  T.  311 

off  from  the  large  island,  which  lies  out  there ;"  and 
Ready  again  looked  through  his  telescope ;  "  there  are 
two  people  in  it,  and  they  are  islanders.  Poor  things ! 
they  struggle  hard  for  their  lives,  and  seem  much  ex- 
hausted ;  but  they  have  passed  through  the  most  dan- 
gerous part  of  the  reef." 

"  Yes,"  replied  William,  "  they  will  soon  be  in 
smoother  water;  but  the  surf  on  the  beach  is  very 
heavy." 

"  They  won't  mind  that,  if  their  strength  don't  fail 
them — they  manage  the  canoe  beautifully." 

During  this  conversation  the  canoe  had  rapidly  come 
toward  the  land.  In  a  moment  or  two  afterward  it 
passed  through  the  surf  and  grounded  on  the  beach. 
The  two  people  in  it  had  just  strength  enough  left  to 
paddle  through  the  surf,  and  then  they  dropped  down 
in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe,  quite  exhausted. 

"  Let's  drag  the  canoe  higher  up,  Master  William. 
Poor  creatures !  they  are  nearly  dead." 

While  dragging  it  up  Ready  observed  that  the  oc- 
cupants were  both  women ;  their  faces  were  tattooed 
all  over,  which  disfigured  them  very  much ;  otherwise 
they  were  young,  and  might  have  been  good-looking. 

"  Shall  I  run  up  and  get  something  for  them, 
Ready?" 

"  Do,  Master  William ;  ask  Juno  to  give  you  some 
of  whatever  there  is  for  breakfast ;  anything  warm." 

William  soon  returned  with  some  thin  oatmeal 
porridge,  which  Juno  had  been  preparing  for  break- 
fast; and  a  few  spoonfuls  being  forced  down  the 
throats  of  the  two  natives,  they  gradually  revived. 
William  then  left  Ready,  and  went  up  to  acquaint  his 
father  and  mother  with  this  unexpected  event. 


312  MASTERMAN  READY. 

William  soon  returned  with  Mr.  Seagrave,  and  as 
the  women  were  now  able  to  sit  up,  they  hauled  up 
the  canoe  as  far  as  they  could,  to  prevent  her  being 
beat  to  pieces.  They  found  nothing  in  the  canoe  ex- 
cept a  piece  of  matting  and  the  two  paddles  which  had 
been  used  by  the  natives.  The  latter  were  very  curi- 
ously carved,  as  well  as  the  bow  of  the  canoe. 

"  You  see,  sir,"  said  Ready,  "  it  is  very  clear  that 
these  two  poor  women,  having  been  left  in  charge  of 
the  canoe,  have  been  blown  off  from  the  shore  of  one 
of  the  islands  to  the  southeast ;  they  must  have  been 
contending  with  the  gale  ever  since  the  day  before 
yesterday,  and,  as  it  appears,  without  food  or  water. 
It's  a  mercy  that  they  gained  this  island." 

"  It  is  so,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  to  tell  the 
truth,  I  am  not  overpleased  at  their  arrival.  It  proves 
what  we  were  not  sure  of  before,  that  we  have  very 
near  neighbors,  who  may  probably  pay  us  a  very  un- 
welcome visit." 

"  That  may  be,  sir,"  replied  Ready ;  "  still,  these 
two  poor  creatures  being  thrown  on  shore  here  does 
not  make  the  matter  worse,  or  the  danger  greater. 
Perhaps  it  may  turn  to  our  advantage ;  for  if  these 
women  learn  to  speak  English  before  any  other  island- 
ers visit  us,  they  will  interpret  for  us,  and  be  the 
means,  perhaps,  of  saving  our  lives." 

"  "Would  their  visit  be  so  dangerous,  then,  Ready  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  a  savage  is  a  savage,  and,  like  a  child, 
wishes  to  obtain  whatever  he  sees ;  especially  he  covets 
what  he  may  turn  to  use,  such  as  iron,  etc.  If  they 
came,  and  we  concealed  a  portion  and  gave  up  the  re- 
mainder of  our  goods,  we  might  escape ;  but  still  there 
is  no  trusting  to  them,  and  I  would  infinitely  prefer 


defending  ourselves  against  numbers,  to  trusting  to 
their  mercy." 

"  But  how  can  we  defend  ourselves  against  a  multi- 
tude r 

"  We  must  be  prepared,  sir ;  if  we  can  fortify  our- 
selves, with  our  muskets  we  would  be  more  than  a 
match  for  hundreds." 

Mr.  Seagrave  turned  away.  After  a  pause,  he  said : 
"  It  is  not  very  pleasant  to  be  now  talking  of  defend- 
ing ourselves  against  savages,  when  we  hoped  two  days 
ago  to  be  leaving  the  island.  Oh,  that  that  brig  would 
make  its  appearance  again  !" 

"  The  wind  is  going  down  fast,  sir,"  observed 
Keady ;  "  it  will  be  fine  weather  before  the  evening. 
We  may  look  out  for  her ;  at  all  events,  for  .the  next 
week  I  shall  not  give  up  all  hopes." 

"  A  whole  week,  Ready !  Alas !  how  true  it  is,  that 
hope  deferred  maketh  the  heart  sick  !" 

"  It  is  a  severe  trial,  Mr.  Sea.grave ;  but  we  must 
submit  when  we  are  chastened.  We  had  better  get 
these  poor  creatures  up  to  the  house,  and  let  them  re- 
cover themselves." 

"  Yes,  Ready ;  I  presume  they  will  understand 
signs." 

Ready  then  beckoned  to  them  to  get  on  their  feet, 
which  they  both  did,  although  with  some  difficulty. 
He  then  went  in  advance,  making  a  sign  for  them  to 
follow ;  they  understood  him,  and  made  the  attempt, 
but  were  so  weak  that  they  would  have  fallen  if  they 
had  not  been  supported  by  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William. 

It  required  a  long  time  for  them  to  arrive  at  the 
house.  Mrs.  Seagrave,  who  knew  what  had  happened, 
received  them  very  kindly,  and  Juno  had  a  mess 


314  MASTERMAN  READY. 

ready,  which  she  put  before  them.  They  eat  a  little, 
and  then  lay  down,  and  were  soon  sound  asleep. 

"  It  is  fortunate  for  us  that  they  are  women,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  we  should  have  had  great 
difficulty  had  they  been  men." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Ready ;  "  but  still  we  must  not 
trust  women  too  much  at  first,  for  they  are  savages. 
If  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  we  still  remain  on  this 
island  they  may  be  very  useful  to  us  in  many  ways — 
indeed,  I  may  say,  be  very  valuable  to  us,  as  we  have 
plenty  of  employment  for  them." 

"  Where  shall  we  put  them  to-night,  Ready  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  I  have  been  thinking  about  that.  I  wish 
we  had  a  shed  close  to  us ;  but  as  we  have  not,  we 
must  let  them  sleep  in  the  storehouse." 

"  Yes,  that  will  do  very  well." 

We  must  now  pass  over  a  space  of  fifteen  days,  in 
which  there  was  nothing  done.  The  expectation  of 
the  vessel  returning  was  still  alive,  although  each  day 
decreased  these  hopes.  Every  morning  Ready  and 
William  were  at  the  beach  with  the  telescope,  and  the 
whole  of  the  day  was  passed  in  surmises,  hopes,  and 
fears.  In  fact,  the  appearance  of  the  vessel  and  the 
expectation  of  leaving  the  island  had  completely  over- 
turned all  the  regularity  and  content  of  our  island 
party. 

No  other  subject  was  broached — not  any  of  the  work 
proposed  was  begun,  as  it  was  useless  to  do  anything 
if  they  were  to  leave  the  island.  After  the  first  week 
had  passed  they  felt  that  every  day  their  chances  were 
more  adverse,  and  at  the  end  of  the  fortnight  all  hopes 
were  very  unwillingly  abandoned.  They  had  had 
time  to  school  themselves  into  resignation,  and  now 


MASTERMA N  READ  T.  315 

once  more  turned  their  thoughts  to  their  own  imme- 
diate pursuits. 

The  Indian  women  had,  in  the  meantime,  recovered 
their  fatigue,  and  appeared  to  be  very  mild  and  tract- 
able. Whatever  they  were  able  to  do  they  did  cheer- 
fully, and  had  already  gained  a  few  words  of  English. 
The  party  to  explore  was  again  talked  over,  and  ar- 
ranged for  the  following  Monday,  when  a  new  mis- 
fortune fell  on  them,  which  disconcerted  all  their 
arrangements. 

On  the  Saturday  morning  when  Ready,  as  usual, 
went  his  rounds,  as  he  walked  along  the  beach  he  per- 
ceived that  the  Indian  canoe  was  missing.  It  had 
been  hauled  np  clear  of  the  water,  so  that  it  could  not 
have  floated  away.  Ready's  heart  misgave  him;  he 
looked  through  his  telescope  in  the  direction  of  the 
large  island,  and  thought  he  could  distinguish  a  speck 
on  the  water  at  a  great  distance.  As  he  was  thus 
occupied  "William  came  down  to  him. 

"  Master  William,"  said  Ready,  "  I  fear  those  island 
women  have  escaped  in  their  canoe.  Run  up  and  see 
if  they  are  in  the  outhouse,  or  anywhere  else,  and  let 
me  know  as  soon  as  you  can." 

William  in  a  few  minutes  returned,  breathless,  say- 
ing that  the  women  were  not  to  be  found,  and  that 
they  had  evidently  carried  away  with  them  a  quantity 
of  the  large  nails  and  other  pieces  of  iron  which  wera 
in  the  small  kegs  in  the  storehouse. 

"This  is  bad,  Master  William — very  bad  indeed; 
this  is  worse  than  the  vessel  not  coming  back." 

"  Why,  we  can  do  without  them,  Ready." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  when  they  get  back  to  their  own 
people,  and  show  them  the  iron  they  have  brought 


316  MASTERMAN  READ  Y. 

with  them,  and  describe  how  much  more  there  is  to  be 
had,  depend  upon  it,  we  shall  have  a  visit  from  them 
in  numbers,  that  they  may  obtain  more.  I  ought  to 
have  known  better  than  to  have  left  the  canoe  here  ; 
it  should  have  been  burned.  We  must  go  and  consult 
with  Mr.  Seagrave,  for  the  sooner  we  begin  to  work 
now  the  better.  Come,  Master  William ;  but  recollect, 
we  must  make  light  of  this  to  your  mamma." 

They  communicated  the  intelligence  to  Mr.  Seagrave 
when  they  were  outside.  He  at  once  perceived  their 
danger ;  but  considered  it  better  to  acquaint  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  with  it,  and  to  conceal  nothing. 

This  was  done  accordingly,  and  then  they  held  a 
council,  and  came  to  the  following  resolutions : 

That  it  would  be  necessary  that  they  should  im- 
mediately stockade  the  storehouse,  so  as  to  render  it 
impossible  for  any  one  to  get  in  ;  and  that,  as  soon  as 
the  fortification  was  complete,  the  storehouse  should  be 
turned  into  their  dwelling-house;  and  such  stores  as 
could  not  be  put  within  the  stockade  should  be  removed 
to  their  present  house,  or  concealed  in  the  cocoanut- 
grove.  That  after  they  had  thus  arranged  for  their 
security  against  any  sudden  attack  they  would  follow 
up  their  former  plans. 

It  was  decided  that  nothing  should  be  begun  on  that 
day,  Saturday  ;  that  Sunday  should  be  spent  in  devout 
prayer  for  help  and  encouragement  from  the  Almighty, 
who  would  do  toward  them  as  His  wisdom  should  or- 
dain ;  and  that  on  Monday,  with  the  blessing  of  God, 
they  would  recommence  their  labor. 

"  I  don't  know  why,  but  I  feel  more  courage,  now 
that  there  is  a  prospect  of  danger,  than  I  felt  when 
there  was  little  or  none,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  317 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it,  madam ;  and  should  it  be  called 
into  request,  that  you  will  prove  it ;  which,  I  hope, 
may  not  be  the  case." 

"  How  little  do  we  know  what  the  day  may  bring 
forth !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  How  joyful  were 
our  anticipations  when  the  vessel  hoisted  her  colors ! 
we  felt  sure  that  we  were  to  be  taken  off  the  island. 
The  same  gale  that  drove  the  vessel  away  brought 
down  to  us  the  island  women.  The  fair  weather  after 
the  gale,  which  we  hoped  would  have  brought  back 
the  vessel  to  our  succor,  on  the  contrary,  enabled  the 
women  to  escape  in  the  canoe,  and  make  known  our 
existence  to  those  who  may  come  to  destroy  us.  How 
true  it  is  that  man  plans  in  vain ;  how  true  that  he  is 
as  naught ;  and  that  it  is  only  by  the  Almighty  will 
and  pleasure  that  he  can  obtain  his  ends.  All  that  we 
can  say  is,  'Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven.' " 


320  M ASTERN  AN  READY. 

"  Well,  then,  Mr.  Seagrave,  it  appears  to  me  that  it 
will  not  do  to  remain  in  the  house,  for  we  may,  as  I 
have  said,  be  surprised  by  the  savages  at  any  hour  in 
the  .night,  and  we  have  no  means  of  defense  against 
numbers." 

"  I  feel  that,  and  have  felt  it  for  some  time,"  replied 
Mr.  Seagrave.  "What  shall  we  do,  then;  shall  we 
return  to  the  cove  ?" 

"  I  should  think  not,  sir,"  said  Ready  ;  "  what  I 
propose  is  this :  we  have  made  a  discovery  on  the 
south  of  the  island,  which  is  of  great  importance  to 
us ;  not  that  I  consider  the  fruit  and  other  plants  of 
any  great  value,  as  they  will  only  serve  to  increase  our 
luxuries,  if  I  may  so  call  them,  during  the  summer 
season.  One  great  advantage  to  us  is  the  feed  which 
we  have  found  for  our  live  stock,  and  the  fodder  for 
them  during  the  rainy  season ;  but  principally,  the 
patch  of  yams,  which  will  afford  us  food  during  the 
winter.  They  are  of  great  importance  to  us,  and  we 
cannot  too  soon  protect  them  from  the  pigs,  which 
will  certainly  root  them  all  up,  if  we  do  not  prevent 
them.  Now,  sir,  you  know  what  we  had  arranged  to 
do,  but  which  we  have  not  done ;  I  think  the  cocoanut 
rails  will  take  too  much  time,  and  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  make  a  ditch  and  hedge  round  the  yams,  sir ;  but  it 
will  be  very  tedious  if  we  are  to  go  backward  and  for- 
ward to  do  the  work,  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  chil- 
dren will  be  left  alone.  1  therefore  propose,  as  the 
weather  is  now  set  in  fair,  and  will  remain  so  for 
months,  that  we  pitch  our  tents  on  that  part  of  the 
island,  and  remove  the  whole  family  there  ;  we  shall 
soon  be  very  comfortable,  and  at  all  events  much  safer 
there  than  if  we  remain  here  without  any  defense." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  321 

"  It  is  an  excellent  plan,  Ready  ;  we  shall,  as  you 
sa}r,  be  removed  from  danger  for  the  time,  and  when 
there,  we  may  consider  what  we  had  best  do  by  and  by." 

"  Yes,  sir.  Those  women  may  not  have  gained  the 
other  island,  it  is  true,  for  they  had  the  wind  right 
against  them  for  several  days  after  they  went  away  in 
the  canoe,  and,  moreover,  the  current  sets  strong  this 
way ;  but  if  they  have,  we  must  expect  that  the 
savages  will  pay  us  a  visit ;  they  will  of  course  come 
direct  to  the  house,  if  they  do  come." 

"  But,  Keady,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  we  are  to 
leave  this  side  of  the  island  altogether,  and  all  our 
comfortable  arrangements  ?"  said  William. 

"  No,  Master  William,  not  altogether ;  for  now  I 
come  to  the  second  part  of  my  proposition.  As  soon 
as  we  have  done  our  work  at  the  yam  plantation,  and 
made  everything  as  comfortable  there  as  we  can,  I 
think  we  may  then  leave  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  chil- 
dren in  the  tents,  and  work  here.  As  we  before 
agreed,  let  us  abandon  the  house,  in  which  we  live  at 
present,  and  fit  out  the  outhouse,  which  is  concealed  in 
the  cocoanut  grove,  as  a  dwelling-house,  and  fortify  it 
so  as  to  be  secure  against  any  sudden  attack  of  the 
savages  ;  for  return  here  we  must,  to  live,  as  we  can- 
not remain  in  the  tents  after  the  rainy  season  sets  in." 

"  How  do  you  propose  to  fortify  it,  Ready  ?"  said 
Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  I  hardly  know.  What  is  a  stockade  ?" 

"  That  I  will  explain  to  you  by  and  by,  sir.  Then, 
if  the  savages  come  here,  at  all  events,  we  should  be 
able  to  defend  ourselves  with  firearms ;  one  man  behind 
a  stockade  is  better  than  twenty  who  have  no  other 
arms  but  spears  and  clubs ;  and  we  may,  with  the  help 
of  God,  beat  them  off." 


320  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  "Well,  then,  Mr.  Seagrave,  it  appears  to  ine  that  it 
will  not  do  to  remain  in  the  house,  for  we  may,  as  I 
have  said,  be  surprised  by  the  savages  at  any  hour  in 
the  .night,  and  we  have  no  means  of  defense  against 
numbers." 

"  I  feel  that,  and  have  felt  it  for  some  time,"  replied 
Mr.  Seagrave.  "What  shall  we  do,  then;  shall  we 
return  to  the  cove  ?" 

"  I  should  think  not,  sir,"  said  Ready ;  "  what  I 
propose  is  this :  we  have  made  a  discovery  on  the 
south  of  the  island,  which  is  of  great  importance  to 
us ;  not  that  I  consider  the  fruit  and  other  plants  of 
any  great  value,  as  they  will  only  serve  to  increase  our 
luxuries,  if  I  may  so  call  them,  during  the  summer 
season.  One  great  advantage  to  us  is  the  feed  which 
we  have  found  for  our  live  stock,  and  the  fodder  for 
them  during  the  rainy  season ;  but  principally,  the 
patch  of  yams,  which  will  afford  us  food  during  the 
winter.  They  are  of  great  importance  to  us,  and  we 
cannot  too  soon  protect  them  from  the  pigs,  which 
will  certainly  root  them  all  up,  if  we  do  not  prevent 
them.  Now,  sir,  you  know  what  we  had  arranged  to 
do,  but  which  we  have  not  done ;  I  think  the  cocoanut 
rails  will  take  too  much  time,  and  it  will  be  sufficient 
to  make  a  ditch  and  hedge  round  the  yams,  sir ;  but  it 
will  be  very  tedious  if  we  are  to  go  backward  and  for- 
ward to  do  the  work,  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  chil- 
dren will  be  left  alone.  I  therefore  propose,  as  the 
weather  is  now  set  in  fair,  and  will  remain  so  for 
months,  that  we  pitch  our  tents  on  that  part  of  the 
island,  and  remove  the  whole  family  there  ;  we  shall 
soon  be  very  comfortable,  and  at  all  events  much  safer 
there  than  if  we  remain  here  without  any  defense." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  321 

"  It  is  an  excellent  plan,  Keady  ;  we  shall,  as  you 
say,  be  removed  from  danger  for  the  time,  and  when 
there,  we  may  consider  what  we  had  best  do  by  and  by." 

"  Yes,  sir.  Those  women  may  not  have  gained  the 
other  island,  it  is  true,  for  they  had  the  wind  right 
against  them  for  several  days  after  they  went  away  in 
the  canoe,  and,  moreover,  the  current  sets  strong  this 
way ;  but  if  they  have,  we  must  expect  that  the 
savages  will  pay  us  a  visit ;  they  will  of  course  come 
direct  to  the  house,  if  they  do  come." 

"  But,  Keady,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  we  are  to 
leave  this  side  of  the  island  altogether,  and  all  our 
comfortable  arrangements  ?"  said  William. 

"  No,  Master  William,  not  altogether ;  for  now  I 
come  to  the  second  part  of  my  proposition.  As  soon 
as  we  have  done  our  work  at  the  yam  plantation,  and 
made  everything  as  comfortable  there  as  we  can,  I 
think  we  may  then  leave  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  chil- 
dren in  the  tents,  and  work  here.  As  we  before 
agreed,  let  us  abandon  the  house,  in  which  we  live  at 
present,  and  fit  out  the  outhouse,  which  is  concealed  in 
the  cocoanut  grove,  as  a  dwelling-house,  and  fortify  it 
so  as  to  be  secure  against  any  sudden  attack  of  the 
savages  ;  for  return  here  we  must,  to  live,  as  we  can- 
not remain  in  the  tents  after  the  rainy  season  sets  in." 

" How  do  you  propose  to  fortify  it,  Keady?"  said 
Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  I  hardly  know.  What  is  a  stockade  ?" 

"  That  I  will  explain  to  you  by  and  by,  sir.  Then, 
if  the  savages  come  here,  at  all  events,  we  should  be 
able  to  defend  ourselves  with  firearms ;  one  man  behind 
a  stockade  is  better  than  twenty  who  have  no  other 
arms  but  spears  and  clubs ;  and  we  may,  with  the  help 
of  God,  beat  them  off." 


322  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  I  think  your  plan  is  excellent,  Keady,"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave ;  "  and  that  the  sooner  we  begin  the  better." 

"  That  there  is  no  doubt  of,  sir.  Now,  the  first  job 
is  for  "William  and  me  to  try  for  the  passage  through 
this  side  of  the  reef  with  the  boat,  and  then  we  will 
look  for  the  little  harbor  which  we  discovered ;  as  soon 
as  that  is  done  we  will  return,  and  take  the  tents  and 
all  we  require  round  in  the  boat,  and  when  we  have 
pitched  the  tents,  and  all  is  arranged,  Mrs.  Seagrave 
and  the  children  can  walk  through  the  wood  with  us 
and  take  possession.  Now,  Mr.  Seagrave,  if  we  are  all 
agreed,  the  sooner  we  begin  the  better,  for  we  have 
plenty  to  do,  and  we  must  recollect  that  we  shall  have 
to  go  up  to  the  cove  before  we  can  commence  the 
stockade,  to  procure  nails,  and  many  other  things ;  in- 
deed, we  may  as  well  have  a  regular  survey  of  our 
stores  there  when  we  are  about  it." 

"  Let  us  not  lose  a  day,  not  an  hour,  Keady ;  we 
have  lost  too  much  time  already,"  replied  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  and  may  the  blessing  of  Heaven  attend  our 
endeavors.  What  shall  we  do  to-day  ?" 

"  At  breakfast,  sir,  we  will  communicate  our  inten- 
tions to  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  after  breakfast  William  and  I 
will  take  the  boat  and  try  for  the  passage.  You  can 
remain  here,  packing  up  the  tents,  and  such  articles  as 
must  first  be  carried  round.  We  shall  be  back,  I  hope, 
by  dinner-time." 

They  then  rose  and  walked  toward  the  house  ;  all 
felt  relieved  in  their  minds  after  they  had  made  this 
arrangement,  satisfied  that  they  would  be  using  all 
human  endeavors  to  ward  off  the  danger  which  threat- 
ened them,  and  might  then  put  their  confidence  in  that 
Providence  who  would  protect  them  in  their  need. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  323 


CHAPTEE  XLVI. 

TOMMY   AND   THE   CRAWFISH. 

THE  subject  was  introduced  to  Mrs.  Seagrave  while 
they  were  at  breakfast,  and  as  she  perceived  how  much 
more  secure  they  would  be,  she  cheerfully  consented. 
In  less  than  an  hour  afterward  William  and  Ready 
had  prepared  the  boat,  and  were  pulling  out  among  the 
rocks  of  the  reef  to  find  a  passage,  which,  after  a  short 
time,  and  by  keeping  two  or  three  cables  from  the 
point,  they  succeeded  in  doing. 

"  This  is  very  fortunate,  Master  "William,"  observed 
Ready ;  "  but  we  must  now  take  some  marks  to  find 
our  way  in  again.  See,  sir,  the  large  black  rock  is  on 
a  line  with  the  garden  point;  so,  if  we  keep  them  in 
one,  we  shall  know  that  we  are  in  the  proper  channel ; 
and  now  for  a  mark  abreast  of  us,  to  find  out  where 
we  enter  it." 

"  Why,  Ready,  the  corner  of  the  turtle-pond  just 
touches  the  right  wall  of  the  house,"  replied  William. 

"  So  it  does,  sir ;  that  will  do,  and  now  let  us  pull 
away  as  hard  as  we  can,  so  as  to  be  back  in  good 
time." 

They  soon  were  on  the  south  side  of  the  island,  and 
pulling  up  along  the  shore. 

"  How  far  do  you  think  that  it  is  by  water  Ready  ?" 


324  MASTERMAN  HEADY. 

"  I  hardly  know,  Master  "William  ;  but  at  least  four 
or  five  miles,  so  we  must  make  up  our  minds  to  a  good 
hour's  pull.  At  all  events,  we  shall  sail  back  again 
with  this  wind,  although  there  is  but  little  of  it." 

"We  are  in  very  deep  water  now,"  observed 
William,  after  a  long  silence. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  on  this  side  of  the  island  we  must  expect 
it ;  the  coral  grows  to  leeward  only.  I  think  that  we 
cannot  be  very  far  from  the  little  harbor  we  discovered. 
You  see,  sir,  we  have  opened  upon  the  meadow  land 
and  the  clumps  of  trees.  Suppose  we  leave  off  rowing 
for  a  minute,  and  look  about  us." 

"  There  are  two  rocks  close  to  the  shore  Ready," 
said  William,  pointing,  "  and  you  recollect  there  were 
two  or  three  rocks  outside  of  the  harbor." 

"  Very  true,  Master  William ;  and  I  should  not 
wonder  if  you  have  not  hit  upon  the  very  spot.  Let 
us  pull  in." 

They  did  so ;  and,  to  their  satisfaction,  found  that 
they  were  in  the  harbor,  where  the  water  was  as 
smooth  as  a  pond. 

"  Now,  then,  Master  William ;  we  will  step  the  mast 
and  sail  back  at  our  leisure." 

"  Stop  one  moment,  Ready ;  give  me  the  boathook, 
I  see  something  between  the  clefts  of  the  rocks." 

Ready  handed  the  boathook  to  William,  who,  lower- 
ing it  down  into  the  water,  drove  the  spike  of  iron  at 
the  end  of  it  into  a  large  crawfish,  which  he  hauled 
up  into  the  boat. 

"  That  will  be  an  addition  to  our  dinner,  Master 
William,"  said  Ready ;  "  we  do  not  go  back  empty- 
handed,  and,  therefore,  as  the  saying  is,  we  shall  be 
more  welcome ;  now,  then,  let  us  start,  for  we  must 


MASTERMAN  READY.  325 

pull  here  again  this  afternoon,  and  with  a  full  cargo  on 
board!" 

They  stepped  the  mast,  and  as  soon  as  they  had 
pulled  the  boat  clear  of  the  harbor,  they  set  the  sail, 
and  in  less  than  an  hour  had  rejoined  the  party  at  the 
house. 

William  had  brought  up  the  crawfish,  which  had 
only  one  claw,  and  Juno  had  put  on  another  pot  of 
water  to  boil  it,  as  an  addition  to  the  dinner,  which 
was  nearly  ready.  Tommy  at  first  went  with  his 
sister  Caroline  to  look  at  the  animal,  and  as  soon  as  he 
had  left  off  admiring  it,  he  began,  as  usual,  to  tease 
it,  as  he  did  the  lion  at  the  Cape  ;  first  he  poked  its 
eyes  with  a  stick,  then  he  tried  to  unfold  its  tail,  but 
the  animal  flapped,  and  he  ran  away.  At  last  he  was 
trying  to  put  his  stick  into  the  creature's  mouth,  when 
it  raised  its  large  claw  and  caught  him  by  the  wrist, 
squeezing  him  so  tight  that  Tommy  screamed  and 
danced  about  as  the  crawfish  held  on.  Fortunately 
for  him,  the  animal  had  been  so  long  out  of  water,  and 
had  been  so  much  hurt  by  the  iron  spike  of  the  boat- 
hook,  that  it  was  more  than  half-dead,  or  he  would 
have  been  severely  hurt.  Ready  ran  to  him  and  dis- 
engaged the  crawfish ;  but  Tommy  was  so  frightened 
that  he  took  to  his  heels,  and  did  not  leave  off  running 
until  he  was  one  hundred  yards  from  the  house,  while 
Juno  and  Ready  were  laughing  at  him  till  the  tears 
came  into  their  eyes.  Tommy  was  very  sulky  at  being 
laughed  at,  so  he  sat  down  when  he  had  left  off  running 
till  he  saw  the  dinner  going  in,  and  then  he  came 
back  looking  very  foolish.  When  he  saw  the  craw- 
fish on  the  table  he  appeared  to  be  afraid  of  it,  although 
it  was  dead. 


326  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Well,  Tommy,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  I  suppose  you 
won't  eat  any  of  the  crawfish?" 

«  Won't  I?"  replied  Tommy.  "  I'll  eat  him,  for  he 
tried  to  eat  me." 

"  What  part  will  you  have,  Tommy — the  claw  ?"  said 
Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  I'll  eat  the  claw — nasty  beast ;  I'll  eat  him, 
out  of  spite." 

"  Why  did  you  not  leave  the  animal  alone,  Tommy  ?" 
said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  if  you  had  not  tormented  it,  it 
would  not  have  bitten  you ;  I  don't  know  whether 
you  ought  to  have  any,  if  you  only  eat  it  out  of  spite ; 
you  should  eat  it  with  joy  and  gratitude.  What  do 
you  say  in  your  grace  before  meat,  Tommy  ?  tell  me, 
sir." 

"  *  For  what  we  are  going  to  receive,  the  Lord  make 
us  truly  thankful,' "  said  Tommy  gloomily. 

"  Well,  but  by  your  account  you  are  only  '  truly 
spiteful,'  and  therefore  I  do  not  think  you  ought  to 
have  any." 

"  I  don't  like  it ;  I  won't  have  any,"  replied  Tommy, 
"  I  like  salt  pork  better." 

"  Well,  then,  if  you  don't  like  it  you  shall  not  have 
it  forced  upon  you,  Tommy,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave; 
"  so  now  we'll  divide  it  among  the  rest  of  us." 

Tommy  was  not  very  well  pleased  at  this  decision,  for 
really  he  did  wish  to  have  some  of  it,  so  he  turned  very 
sulky  for  the  rest  of  the  dinner-time,  especially  when 
old  Keady  told  him  that  he  had  had  his  share  of  the 
crawfish  before  dinner. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  337 


CHAPTER  XLYII. 

ARRANGEMENTS   FOR   A   MOVE. 

As  SOON  as  the  meal  was  over  Mr.  Seagrave  and 
Juno  assisted  them  in  carrying  down  the  canvas  and 
poles  for  the  tent,  with  shovels  to  clear  away,  and  the 
pegs  to  fix  the  tents  up  properly.  Before  they  started 
William  observed:  "I  think  it  would  be  a  good 
thing  if  Ready  and  I  were  to  take  our  bedding  with 
us,  and  then  we  could  fix  up  one  tent  this  evening,  and 
sleep  there;  to-morrow  morning  we  might  set  up  the 
other,  and  get  a  good  deal  of  work  over  before  we 
came  back." 

"  You  are  right,  Master  William,"  replied  Ready ; 
"  let  us  see  what  Juno  can  give  us  to  eat,  and  then 
we  will  do  as  you  say,  for  the  sooner  we  are  all  there 
the  better." 

As  Mr.  Seagrave  was  of  the  same  opinion,  Juno 
packed  up  a  piece  of  salt  pork  and  some  flour  cakes 
which,  with  three  or  four  bottles  of  water,  they  took 
down  to  the  boat ;  the  axes,  saw,  and  mallet  were  also 
put  in.  Ready  having  thrown  in  a  piece  of  rope  to 
moor  the  boat  with,  they  shoved  off,  and  were  soon 
through  the  reef,  and  after  a  smart  pull — for  they  were 
anxious  to  get  round  as  soon  as  possible — they  arrived 
again  at  the  small  harbor. 

As  soon  as  they  had  landed  all  the  things  they  made 


328  MA STERMAN  READ  F. 

the  boat  fast  by  the  rope,  and  then  carried  a  portion 
of  the  canvas  and  tent-poles  up  to  the  first  copse  of 
trees,  which  were  the  guavas  ;  they  then  returned  for 
the  remainder,  and  after  three  trips  everything  was 
up. 

"  Now,  Master  William,  we  must  see  where  we  must 
pitch  the  tent ;  we  must  not  be  too  near  the  cocoanut 
grove,  or  we  shall  have  too  far  to  go  for  water." 

"  Don't  you  think  that  the  best  place  will  be  close 
to  the  bananas  ?  the  ground  is  higher  there,  and  the 
water  is,  you  know,  between  the  bananas  and  the 
yams." 

"  Very  true,  Master  William,  I  think  it  will  not  be  a 
bad  place ;  let  us  walk  there  first,  and  reconnoiter  the 
ground." 

They  walked  to  where  the  bananas  were  now  throw- 
ing out  their  beautiful  large  green  leaves,  and  decided 
that  they  would  fix  the  tents  upon  the  north  side  of 
them  ;  first,  because  the  trees  would  prevent  the  tents 
from  being  seen  from  seaward,  and  secondly,  because 
the  clumps  would  shade  them  from  the  sun  during  the 
hottest  portion  of  the  day. 

"  So  here  let  it  be,  Master  William,"  said  Eeady ; 
"  and  now  let  us  go  and  fetch  all  the  things ;  it  is  a  nice 
dry  spot,  and  I  think  will  do  capitally." 

They  were  soon  hard  at  work  and  long  before  sun- 
set one  tent  was  ready,  and  they  had  put  their  bedding 
in  it. 

"  Well,  now,  I  suppose  you  are  a  little  tired,  sir," 
said  Ready ;  "  I'm  sure  you  ought  to  be,  for  you  have 
worked  hard  to-day." 

"  I  don't  feel  very  tired,  Ready ;  but  it's  not  time 
to  go  to  bed  yet." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  329 

"  No,  sir ;  then  I  think  we  had  better  take  our 
shovels  and  dig  the  pits  for  the  water,  and  then  we 
shall  know  by  to-morrow  morning  whether  the  water 
is  good  or  not." 

"  Yes,  Keady,  we  can  do  that  before  we  get  our 
suppers,  and  go  to  bed." 

They  walked  to  where  the  ground  between  the 
bananas  and  yam  patch  was  wet  and  swampy,  and  dug 
two  large  holes  about  a  yard  deep  and  square ;  the 
water  trickled  in  very  fast,  and  they  were  up  to  their 
ankles  before  they  had  finished. 

"  There'll  be  no  want  of  water,  Ready,  if  it  is  only 
fit  to  drink." 

"  I've  no  fear  of  that,  sir,"  replied  Ready,  "  but  still 
there's  nothing  like  having  all  done  before  they  come 
here ;  so  now  our  work  is  finished  for  the  day." 

They  returned  to  the  tent,  and  made  their  supper  off 
the  salt  pork  and  flour  cakes,  and  then  lay  down  on 
the  mattresses.  They  were  soon  fast  asleep,  for  they 
were  well  tired  out  with  the  hard  work  which  they 
had  gone  through. 

The  next  morning  at  sunrise  they  were  up  again ; 
the  first  thing  they  did  was  to  go  and  examine  the 
holes  they  had  dug  for  water ;  they  found  them  full 
and  running  over,  and  the  water  had  settled  quite 
clear ;  they  tasted  it,  and  pronounced  it  very  good,  but 
not  so  good  as  what  they  had  in  the  well  near  the 
house  in  the  bay. 

As  soon  as  they  had  washed  themselves  they  went 
back  and  made  their  breakfast,  and  then  set  to  work 
to  get  up  the  other  tent,  which,  being  for  Mrs. 
Seagrave  and  the  children,  was  more  carefully  put  up. 
They  then  cleared  all  the  ground  near  the  tents  of 


330  MASTERMAN  READY. 

brushwood  and  high  grass,  and  leveled  it  nicely  with 
their  shovels  inside. 

"  Now,  Master  "William,  we  have  another  job,  which 
is  to  prepare  a  fireplace  for  Juno ;  we  must  go  down 
to  the  beach  for  stones.  Let  us  take  this  large  bit  of 
canvas,  and  then  between  us  we  may  carry  up  as  many 
as  we  require." 

In  another  hour  the  fireplace  was  completed,  and 
Ready  and  William  looked  at  their  work. 

"  Well,  I  call  this  a  very  comfortable  lodging-house," 
said  Ready. 

"  And  I  am  sure,"  replied  William,  "  it's  very  pretty. 
Mamma  will  be  delighted  with  it." 

"  We  shall  have  no  want  of  bananas  in  a  few  weeks, 
sir,"  said  Ready ;  "  look,  they  are  all  in  blossom  al- 
ready. Well,  now,  I  suppose  we  had  better  leave 
everything  here,  and  go  back  again.  We  must  have 
another  trip  this  afternoon,  and  sleep  here  to- 
night." 

They  went  down  to  the  boat,  and  sailed  back  as  be- 
fore ;  by  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  they  had  regained 
the  house,  and  then  they  made  the  arrangements  for 
their  work  during  the  remainder  of  the  day.  It  was 
agreed  that  the  provisions  necessary  for  a  day  or  two, 
the  table  and  chairs,  the  cooking  utensils,  and  a  portion 
of  their  clothes,  should  be  taken  round  that  afternoon, 
that  Ready  and  William  should  come  back  early  the 
next  morning,  and  then  they  should  all  set  off  together 
through  the  wood  to  the  new  location.  Little  Albert 
could  now  walk  very  well,  and  would  not  require  to  be 
carried,  except  now  and  then.  Tommy  and  Caroline, 
of  course,  would  walk  with  Juno ;  the  sheep  and  lambs 
(for  they  had  four  lambs),  the  goats  and  kids,  were  to 


MASTERMAN  READY.  331 

be  driven  through  the  wood  by  Mr.  Seagrave ;  William 
and  Ready  and  the  dogs  would  be  very  useful  in  driv- 
ing them.  As  for  the  fowls  and  chickens,  it  was  de- 
cided they  should  be  left,  as  Ready  and  William  could 
look  after  them  on  their  occasional  visits. 


332  MASTERMAN  READY, 


CHAPTEE  XLVIII. 

THE  NEW  ABODE. 

THE  boat  was  well  loaded  that  afternoon,  and  they 
had  a  heavy  pull  round,  and  hard  work  afterward,  to 
carry  all  the  articles  up.  "William  and  Heady  were, 
therefore,  not  sorry  when  their  work  was  done,  and 
they  went  to  bed  as  soon  as  they  had  taken  their 
supper. 

At  sunrise  they  went  back  to  the  bay  in  the  boat, 
which  they  hauled  up,  and  then  proceeded  to  the 
house,  where  they  found  that  every  one  was  ready  to 
start.  Mr.  Seagrave  had  collected  all  the  animals,  and 
they  set  off ;  the  marks  on  the  trees  were  very  plain, 
and  they  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  their  way ;  but 
they  had  a  good  deal  of  trouble  with  the  goats  and 
sheep,  and  did  not  get  on  very  fast.  It  was  three  hours 
before  they  got  clear  of  the  cocoanut-grove,  and  Mrs. 
Seagrave  was  quite  tired  out.  At  last  they  arrived, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  could  not  help  exclaiming, 
"  How  beautiful !" 

When  they  came  to  where  the  tents  were  pitched  by 
the  side  of  the  bananas  they  were  equally  pleased ;  it 
was  quite  a  fairy  spot.  Mrs.  Seagrave  went  into  her 
tent  to  repose  after  her  fatigue ;  the  goats  and  sheep 
were  allowed  to  stray  away  as  they  pleased,  and  were 
feeding  with  avidity  upon  the  fresh  herbage ;  the  dogs 


MASTEItMAN  READY.  333 

lay  down,  panting  with  their  long  journey ;  Juno  put 
little  Albert  on  the  bed,  while  she  went  with  William 
to  collect  fuel  to  cook  the  dinner ;  Ready  went  to  the 
pits  to  get  some  water,  while  Mr.  Seagrave  walked 
about,  examining  the  different  clumps  of  trees  with 
which  the  meadow  was  studded;  Caroline  was  in 
the  tent  with  her  mother,  and  Tommy  sat  on  the 
ground  and  stared  about  him. 

When  Ready  returned  with  the  buckets  of  water  he 
called  the  dogs,  and  went  back  toward  the  yam  plan- 
tation. Tommy  got  up  after  awhile,  and  followed ;  the 
dogs  went  into  the  yams  and  were  soon  barking  furi- 
ously, which  pleased  Tommy  very  much ;  when,  of  a 
sudden,  out  burst  again  in  a  drove  all  the  pigs,  followed 
by  the  dogs,  and  so  close  to  Tommy  that  he  screamed 
with  fright,  and  tumbled  over  head  and  heels. 

"I  thought  you  were  there,  my  gentlemen,"  said 
Ready,  looking  after  the  pigs ;  "  the  sooner  we  fence 
you  out  the  better." 

The  pigs  scampered  away,  and  went  into  the  cocoa- 
nut  grove,  as  they  had  done  before.  Tommy  also 
scampered  away  as  soon  as  he  could  recover  his  legs. 
The  dogs  followed  the  pigs,  and  did  not  return  for  a 
long  while  afterward,  and  then  came  back  hot  and 
tired,  proving  that  they  must  have  chased  them  for  a 
long  distance. 

It  was  late  before  the  dinner  was  ready,  and  they 
were  all  very  glad  to  go  early  to  bed. 

At  day-dawn  William  and  Ready  had  again  started, 
and  walked  through  the  cocoanut  grove  back  to  the 
house,  to  bring  round  in  the  boat  the  articles  of  furni- 
ture and  the  clothes  which  had  been  left.  Having 
collected  everything  in  the  house,  and  procured  some 


334  MASTERMAN  READY. 

more  pork  and  flour  from  the  storehouse,  they  com- 
pleted  the  load  by  spearing  one  of  the  turtles  which 
remained,  and  putting  it  into  the  bottom  of  the  boat ; 
they  then  set  off  again  for  their  new  residence,  and 
arrived  in  time  for  breakfast.  After  the  meal  was 
over  they  were  assisted  by  Juno  and  Mr.  Seagrave  in 
bringing  the  contents  of  the  boat  up  to  the  tents. 

"  What  a  delightful  spot  this  is,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 
"  I  think  we  ought  always  to  make  it  our  summer  resi- 
dence, and  only  go  back  to  the  house  during  the  rainy 
season." 

"  It  is  much  cooler  here,  madam,  during  the  summer, 
and  much  more  pleasant ;  but  we  are  more  protected 
in  the  house  by  the  cocoanut  grove." 

"  Yes ;  that  is  true,  and  it  is  very  valuable  during 
the  rainy  season ;  but  it  makes  it  warmer  in  the 
summer-time ;  we  have  not  such  a  nice  breeze  as  we 
have  here.  I  assure  you,  Keady,  that  I  like  the 
change,  and  shall  be  sorry  when  \ve  have  to  go  back 
again." 

"  I  saw  such  pretty  parrots  this  morning,"  said  little 
Caroline ;  "  I  wish  I  had  one  for  my  very  own." 

"  I'll  try,  miss,  to  find  you  a  young  one  by  and  by  ; 
but  it  is  too  soon  yet,"  replied  Ready.  "  Now  I  must 
go  and  help  Juno  to  cut  up  the  turtle.  We  must  make 
our  larder  among  the  banana-trees." 

"  But  what  are  we  all  to  do,  Eeady  ?"  said  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  we  must  not  be  idle." 

"  No,  sir ;  but  I  think  we  must  give  up  this  day  to 
putting  everything  to  rights,  and  making  everything 
comfortable  inside  the  tents  ;  we  must  be  at  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave's  orders  to-day,  and  to-morrow  we  will  commence 
the  ditch  and  hedge  round  the  yam  plantation.  We 


MASTERMAN  READY.  335 

need  not  work  very  hard  at  it,  for  I  don't  think  the 
pigs  will  venture  here  again,  as  I  mean  to  tie  up  all 
the  dogs  round  the  yam  patch  every  night,  and  their 
barking  will  keep  them  off." 

"  That  will  be  a  very  good  plan,  Keady.  What 
beautiful  food  there  is  for  the  sheep  and  goats !" 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  this  must  be  their  future  residence  for  the 
best  part  of  the  year.  Now,  sir,  I  think  that  to- 
morrow we  will  begin  a  piece  of  the  ditch,  and  show 
William  how  to  put  in  the  cuttings  of  prickly-pear  for 
the  hedge,  and  then,  sir,  I  should  propose  that  we  leave 
Master  William  here  with  his  mother,  to  work  at  his 
leisure,  while  you  and  I  go  to  the  cove  to  examine  the 
stores,  and  select  what  it  will  be  necessary  to  bring 
round.  I  think  you  said  that  you  must  go  yourself." 

"  Yes,  Ready,  I  wish  to  go ;  Mrs.  Seagrave  will  not 
object  to  parting  with  me  for  three  or  four  days. 
When  we  have  made  selection  I  will  then  return,  and 
then  you  and  William,  who  is  more  used  to  the  boat 
than  I  am,  can  bring  the  stores  round.  I  presume  we 
shall  not  bring  them  here  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  we  will  take  them  round  to  the  store- 
house. When  we  have  done  that  job  we  must  then 
commence  our  alterations  and  our  stockade." 


336  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 

BEADY   AND   MR.    SBAGRAVE   AT   THE   COVE. 

THE  next  morning  they  went  with  their  shovels  to 
the  yam  plantation,  and  commenced  their  work.  As 
the  ground  was  softy  and  swampy,  the  labor  was  very 
easy.  The  ditch  was  dug  nearly  a  yard  wide,  and  the 
earth  thrown  up  on  a  bank  inside.  They  then  went 
to  where  the  large  patch  of  prickly-pears  grew,  and 
cut  a  quantity,  which  they  planted  on  the  top  of  the 
bank.  Before  night  they  had  finished  about  nine  or 
ten  yards  of  the  hedge  and  ditch. 

"  I  don't  think  that  the  pigs  will  get  over  that  when 
it  is  finished,"  said  Ready,  "  and  Master  "William  will 
be  able  to  get  on  by  himself  when  we  are  gone  as  well 
as  if  we  were  with  him." 

"  Yes,  but  not  quite  so  fast,  Ready." 

"  Don't  overwork  yourself,  Master  William ;  all  you 
have  to  do  is  to  tether  the  dogs  as  I  did  last  night,  and 
I  have  no  doubt  that  after  one  or  two  more  attempts 
the  pigs  will  come  no  more." 

"  I'll  try  if  I  cannot  shoot  a  pig  or  two,"  said 
William. 

"  Let  it  be  a  young  one,  then,  sir ;  we  must  not  kill 
the  old  ones.  Now  I  think  we  may  as  well  go  back ; 
the  sun  will  soon  be  do\vn,  and  Juno  is  carrying  in  the 
supper." 

Before  Mr.  Seagrave  and  Ready  started  on  the  fol- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  337 

lowing  morning,  the  latter  gave  William  directions  as 
to  the  boat.  The  provisions  and  the  knapsack  having 
been  already  prepared,  they  took  leave  of  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave,  and  set  off,  each  armed  with  a  musket,  and 
Ready  with  his  ax  slung  over  his  shoulder.  They  had 
a  long  walk  before  them,  as  they  had  first  to  find  their 
way  back  to  the  house,  and  from  thence  had  to  walk 
through  the  wood  to  the  cove,  so  that  it  was  a  long 
round  to  take,  but  that  could  not  be  helped,  as  they 
were  obliged  to  follow  the  blazing  or  marks  which  they 
had  made  in  the  trees. 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  house  they  stopped 
there  an  hour  to  rest,  and  then  went  down  to  the  gar- 
den at  the  point ;  the  potatoes  and  peas  in  the  garden 
were  looking  very  well,  and  the  onion  seed  had  not 
failed.  Ready  carefully  examined  and  repaired  the 
fence,  because,  as  he  observed,  now  that  the  wild  pigs 
were  driven  away  from  the  yams,  they  would,  in  all 
probability,  come  there  in  search  of  food. 

"How  solitary  and  deserted  the  place  looks  now, 
Ready,  that  there  is  nothing  living  to  be  seen,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Seagrave.  "  Let  us  go  on." 

They  recommenced  their  journey,  and  in  two  hours 
more  reached  the  cove  where  they  had  first  landed. 
The  rocks  near  to  it  were  strewed  with  timber  and 
planks,  which  lay  bleaching  in  the  sun,  or  half -buried 
in  the  sand  at  the  little  cove.  Mr.  Seagrave  sat  down 
and  sighed  deeply,  as  he  said :  "  Ready,  the  sight  of 
these  timbers,  of  which  the  good  ship  Pacific  was 
built,  and  which  are  now  strewed  in  every  direction, 
recalls  feelings  which  I  had  hoped  to  have  dismissed 
from  my  mind ;  but  I  cannot  help  them  rising  up. 
The  remains  of  this  vessel  appear  to  me  as  the  last 


338  MASTERMAN  READY. 

link  between  us  and  the  civilized  world  which  we  have 
been  torn  from,  and  all  my  thoughts  of  home  and 
country,  and  I  may  say  all  my  longing  for  them,  are 
revived  as  strong  as  ever." 

"  And  very  natural  that  they  should,  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
I  feel  it  also.  I  am  content,  it  is  true,  because  I  have 
nothing  to  wish  or  look  forward  to ;  but  still  I  could 
not  help  thinking  of  poor  Captain  Osborn  and  my 
shipmates,  as  I  looked  upon  the  wreck,  and  wishing 
that  I  might  take  them  by  the  hand  again.  It  is  very 
natural  that  one  should  do  so.  Why,  sir,  do  you  know 
that  I  feel  unhappy  even  about  the  poor  ship !  We 
sailors  love  our  vessels,  especially  when  they  have  good 
qualities,  and  the  Pacific  was  as  fine  a  vessel  as  ever 
was  built  (a  little  wall-sided,  perhaps,  but  that  was  of 
no  consequence).  Now,  sir,  I  feel  quite  melancholy 
when  I  see  her  planks  and  timbers  lying  about  here. 
They  seem  to  me  like  the  skeleton  of  some  human  be- 
ing, who  has  been  cast  away,  and  whose  bones,  after  a 
time,  lie  bleaching  in  the  sun  and  wind.  But,  sir,  if 
we  cannot  help  feeling  as  we  do,  it  is  our  duty  to  check 
the  feeling,  so  that  it  does  not  get  the  mastery  over 
us.  We  can  do  no  more." 

"  Very  true,  Ready,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  rising  up ; 
"  it  is  not  only  useless,  but  even  sinful  to  indulge  in 
them,  as  they  only  can  lead  to  our  repining  at  the  de- 
crees of  Heaven.  Let  us  now  examine  the  rocks,  and 
see  if  anything  has  been  thrown  up  that  may  be  of  use 
to  us." 

They  walked  round,  but,  with  the  exception  of  spars 
and  a  barrel  or  two  of  tar,  they  could  find  nothing  of 
value.  There  was  no  want  of  staves  and  iron  hoops  of 
broken  casks,  and  these,  Keady  observed,  would  make 


MASTERMAN  READY.  339 

excellent  palings  for  the  garden  when  they  had  time 
to  bring  them  round;  and  he  said  that  he  thought 
there  were  so  many  that  they  might  pale  off  a  piece 
of  land  to  sow  their  wheat  and  barley  in  by  and  by, 
and  in  the  meantime  it  would  enable  them  to  make 
hay  for  the  winter  provisions  of  the  stock,  which,  how- 
ever, was  not  of  such  consequence,  now  that  they  had 
such  a  quantity  of  banana  stems  to  feed  the  animals 
with  during  the  rainy  season. 

After  they  had  returned  they  sat  down  to  rest  them- 
selves, and  then  they  went  to  the  tents  in  the  cocoanut 
grove,  in  which  they  had  collected  the  articles  thrown 
up  when  the  ship  went  to  pieces. 

""Why!  the  pigs  have  been  at  work  here,"  said 
Ready ;  "  they  have  contrived  to  open  one  cask  of  flour 
somehow  or  another ;  look,  sir — I  suppose  it  must  have 
been  shaky,  or  they  could  not  have  rooted  into  it ;  the 
canvas  is  not  good  for  much,  I  fear ;  fortunately,  we 
have  several  bolts  of  new,  which  I  brought  on  shore. 
Kow,  sir,  we  will  see  what  condition  the  stores  are  in. 
All  these  are  casks  of  flour,  and  we  run  no  risk  in 
opening  them,  and  seeing  if  they  are  in  good  order." 

The  first  cask  which  was  opened  had  a  cake  round  it 
as  hard  as  a  board ;  but  when  it  was  cut  through  with 
the  ax  the  inside  was  found  in  a  good  state. 

"  That's  all  right,  sir ;  and  I  presume  the  others  will 
be  the  same ;  the  salt  water  has  got  in  so  far  and  made 
a  crust,  which  has  preserved  the  rest;  however,  we 
shall  open  them  all  as  they  come  to  hand.  But  now 
let  us  go  to  dinner,  and  to  work  afterward.  "We  have 
some  nice  cold  fried  turtle  steaks,  which  Juno  has 
packed  up  for  us." 


340  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE   CASES    FKOM   THE   WRECK. 

AFTER  dinner  they  resumed  their  labor.  "  I  wonder 
what's  in  this  case?"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  pointing  to 
the  first  at  hand.  Ready  set  to  work  with  his  ax,  and 
broke  off  the  lid,  and  found  a  number  of  pasteboard 
boxes  full  of  tapes,  narrow  ribbons,  stay-laces,  whale- 
bones, and  cottons  on  reels. 

"  This  has  been  sent  out  for  some  Botany  Bay  mil- 
liner," said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "I  presume,  and  I  don't 
doubt  she  has  been  very  much  put  out  at  not  receiving 
it ;  however,  we  must  confiscate  it  for  the  benefit  of 
Mrs.  Seagrave  and  Miss  Caroline.  We  will  take  them 
to  them  as  soon  as  we  have  time.  Now  for  another, 
Ready." 

The  next  was  a  box  with  a  lock ;  the  lid  was  forced 
up,  and  they  found  a  dozen  half-gallon  square  bottles 
of  gin  stored  in  divisions. 

"  That's  Hollands,  sir,  I  know,"  said  Ready ;  "  what 
shall  we  do  with  it  ?" 

""We  will  not  destroy  it,  Ready,  but  at  the  same 
time  we  will  not  use  it  but  as  a  medicine,"  replied  Mr. 
Seagrave ;  "  we  have  been  so  long  used  to  spring  water 
that  it  would  be  a  pity  to  renew  a  taste  for  spirituous 
liquors ;  we  will  take  a  bottle  or  two  of  it  round  when 
we  have  room  for  it ;  it  may  be  useful." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  341 

"  I  trust  we  shall  never  want  to  drink  a  drop  of  it, 
sir,  either  as  a  medicine  or  otherwise.  Now  for  this  cask 
with  wooden  hoops." 

The  head  was  soon  out,  and  discovered  a  dinner-set 
of  painted  china  with  gold  edges,  which  was  very- 
beautiful. 

"  "Well,  Mr.  Seagrave,  this  may  be  useful,  for  we  are 
rather  short  of  plates  and  dishes.  Common  white 
would  have  served  as  well." 

"  And  be  more  suitable,  certainly,  with  our  present 
outfit,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but,  nevertheless,  as 
you  say,  this  fine  china  is  just  as  useful  as  common, 
and  therefore  not  to  be  despised." 

"Here's  a  box  with  your  name  on  it,  sir,"  said 
Ready ;  "  do  you  know  what  is  in  it  ?" 

"  I  have  no  idea,  Eeady ;  but  your  ax  will  decide  the 
point." 

When  the  box  was  opened  everything  appeared  in  a 
sad,  moldy  state,  from  the  salt  water  which  had  pen- 
etrated ;  but  on  removing  the  brown  paper  and  paste- 
board it  was  found  to  contain  stationery  of  all  sorts, 
and,  except  on  the  outside,  it  was  very  little  injured. 

"  This  is  indeed  a  treasure,  Eeady.  I  recollect  now ; 
this  is  paper,  pens,  and  everything  requisite  for  writ- 
ing, besides  children's  books,  copy-books,  paint-boxes, 
and  a  great  many  other  articles  in  the  stationery  line." 

"  Well,  sir,  that  is  fortunate.  Now  we  may  set  up 
our  school,  and  as  the  whole  population  of  the  island 
will  attend  it,  it  will  really  be  a  national  school." 

"  Yery  true,  Ready.     Now  for  that  cask." 

"  I  can  tell  what  that  is  by  the  outside ;  it  is  oil,  and 
very  acceptable,  for  our  candles  are  nearly  out.  But 
there  are  two  or  three  cases  more  of  candles  which  we 


342  MASTERMAN  READY. 

saved.  "We  shall  come  to  them  by  and  by.  Now  we 
come  to  the  most  valuable  of  all  our  property." 

"  What  is  that,  Eeady  ?" 

"  All  the  articles  which  I  brought  on  shore  in  the 
different  trips  I  took  in  the  boat  before  the  ship  went 
to  pieces ;  for  you  see,  sir,  iron  don't  swim,  and,  there- 
fore, what  I  looked  after  most  was  iron  ware  of  all 
sorts,  and  tools.  I  have  a  famous  lot  of  nails.  Here 
are  three  kegs  of  small  nails,  besides  two  bags  of  large, 
and  there  are  several  axes,  hammers,  and  other  tools, 
besides  all  these  hanks  of  twine,  sailing-needles,  and 
beeswax ;  and  here's  a  few  bolts  of  fine  canvas,  and  all 
in  good  order." 

"  They  are  indeed  valuable,  Ready." 

"Yes,  sir,  we  should  have  been  sadly  in  want  of 
them,  for  those  two  savages  took  all  that  they  could 
lay  their  hands  upon  in  the  way  of  iron  when  they 
started  off  in  the  canoe.  It  was  fortunate  we  had  not 
brought  any  more  round.  Here's  some  more  of  my 
plunder,  as  the  Americans  say.  All  these  are  wash- 
deck  buckets,  this  is  a  small  harness-cask  for  salting 
meat,  and  here's  the  cook's  wooden  trough  for  making 
bread,  which  will  please  Miss  Juno ;  and  in  it,  you  see, 
I  have  put  all  the  galley-hooks,  ladles,  and  spoons,  and 
the  iron  trivets  (they  will  be  very  useful),  and  here's 
two  lamps.  I  think  I  put  some  cotton  wicks  some- 
where— I  know  I  did ;  we  shall  find  them  by  and  by. 
Here's  the  two  casks,  one  of  cartridges  made  up,  and 
the  other  of  gunpowder;  and  here's  the  half- cask  of 
cartridges,  all  in  good  order,  and  the  other  six  mus- 
kets, which,  by  the  bye,  will  want  a  little  cleaning.  But 
that  was  to  be  expected." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  343 

"These  are  really  treasures,  Keadj,  and  yet  how 
well  we  have  done  without  them." 

"  Very  true,  sir,  but  we  shall  do  better  with  them, 
and  when  we  fit  up  the  storehouse  for  a  dwelling,  Mr. 
Seagrave,  we  shall  be  able  to  make  it  a  little  more 
comfortable,  in  every  respect,  than  the  present  one ; 
for  you  see  there  all  the  fir-planking  and  deals  which 
Master  William  and  I  buried  in  the  sand ;  why,  sir,  we 
shall  be  able  to  floor  the  house,  and  make  capital  bed- 
places." 

"  I  really  had  quite  forgotten  them,  Ready  ;  but  as 
you  say,  there  are  enough  for  all  that  you  propose, 
and  twice  over ;  if  I  could  but  get  the  fear  of  the 
savages  coming  over  out  of  my  head,  I  really  think  we 
might  live  very  comfortably  even  on  this  island." 

"  Do  you  know,  Mr.  Seagrave,  I  am  glad  to  hear  you 
say  that,  for  it  proves  that  you  are  more  contented 
and  resigned  than  you  were." 

"  I  am  so,  Ready— at  least  I  think  so  ;  but  perhaps 
it  is  that  the  immediate  danger  from  the  savages  so 
fills  my  thoughts  that  I  no  longer  dwell  so  much  upon 
our  being  taken  off  the  island.  One  anxiety  has  to  a 
certain  degree  driven  away  and  quelled  the  other." 

"  I  dare  say  it  is  as  you  state,  sir ;  but  now  let  us  go 
on  with  our  search.  Here  are  the  ship's  compasses, 
and  deep  sea  line,  and  reel,  also  the  land  lead.  The 
stuff  will  be  very  useful  for  our  little  boat." 

"  And  I  am  very  glad  of  the  compasses,  Ready ;  for 
with  them  I  shall  be  able  to  make  a  sort  of  survey  of 
the  island,  when  I  have  a  little  time.  Your  pocket- 
compass  is  too  small  for  surveying.  Perhaps  you  don't 
know  that  in  my  younger  days  I  went  out  to  Sydney 
as  a  surveyor." 


344  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  No,  I  never  did  hear  of  that.  I  suppose,  then, 
you'll  be  able  to  tell  exactly  how  many  acres  of  feed 
we  have  for  the  animals  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  will  tell  you  that  as  soon  as  we  get  back ; 
but  I  shall  take  some  bearings  now,  while  I  am  here, 
as  I  may  not  be  back  again  very  soon." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  think  if  we  open  this  other  case,  which 
I  perceive  has  your  name  on  it,  it  will  be  as  much  as 
we  need  do  to-day,  for  the  sun  is  going  down,  and  I 
feel  a  little  tired  ;  we  can  then  make  up  some  kind  of 
bed,  eat  our  suppers,  and  go  to  sleep." 

"  I  am  very  tired,  Keady,  and  shall  be  glad  to  do  as 
you  propose.  That  case  contains  books ;  but  what 
portion  of  my  library  I  do  not  know." 

"  But  you  soon  will,  sir,"  replied  Keady,  wrenching 
it  open  with  his  ax.  "  They  are  a  little  stained  on  the 
outside,  but  they  are  jammed  so  tight  that  they  do  not 
appear  to  have  suffered  much.  Here  are  one  or  two, 
sir." 

"  '  Plutarch's  Lives,'  I  am  glad  I  have  them  ;  they 
are  excellent  reading  for  young  or  old  ;  there  is  no 
occasion  to  open  any  more,  Ready,  as  I  know  all  the 
other  books  in  the  case  are  histories ;  perhaps  the  best 
case  which  could  have  been  saved." 

"  I  think  there  are  two  others,  sir ;  but  that  we  can 
see  to-morrow." 


MA8TERMAN  XfiADY. 


CHAPTER  LI. 

TOMMY    SHOOTS   THE    PIG. 

MB.  SEAGRAVE  and  Ready  then  set  to  work,  and 
made  a  rough  sort  of  bed  of  cocoanut  branches  ;  and, 
after  eating  their  supper,  committed  themselves  to  the 
divine  protection,  and  went  to  sleep.  The  next  morn- 
ing they  resumed  their  labor,  and  opened  every  other 
case  and  package  that  had  been  saved  from  the  wreck  ; 
they  found  more  books,  four  boxes  of  candles,  three 
casks  of  rice  (good  and  damaged),  and  several  other 
useful  articles,  besides  many  others  which  were  of  no 
value  to  them. 

A  chest  of  tea  and  two  bags  of  coffee,  which  Ready 
had  brought  on  shore,  were,  much  to  their  delight, 
found  in  good  order;  but  there  was  no  sugar,  the 
little  which  they  had  saved  having  been  melted  away. 

"  That's  unfortunate,  sir.  Master  Tommy  won't  like 
to  go  without  sugar ;  but  it  is  not  absolutely  neces- 
sary." 

"  Master  Tommy  must  learn  privation,  Ready.  We 
cannot  expect  to  get  things  here  as  though  we  were  a 
hundred  yards  from  a  grocer's  shop.  Now  let  us  go 
to  where  we  covered  up  the  other  articles  with  sand." 

The  sand  was  shoveled  up,  and  the  barrels  of  beef 
and  pork  and  the  deal  boards  found  in  good  order,  but 
many  other  things  were  quite  spoiled.  About  noon 


346  MA8TERM AN  READY. 

they  had  finished,  and  as  they  had  plenty  of  time,  Mr. 
Seagrave  took  the  bearings  of  the  different  points  of 
land  with  the  compasses.  They  then  shouldered  their 
muskets,  and,  Ready  taking  a  few  pounds  of  damaged 
rice  for  the  fowls,  set  off  on  their  return. 

They  gained  the  house  in  the  bay,  and  having  rested 
a  little  while  at  the  storehouse,  they  proceeded  on  their 
way  to  the  tents  in  the  meadow.  They  had  about  half 
a  mile  to  go,  when  Ready  heard  a  noise,  and  made  a 
sign  to  Mr.  Seagrave  to  stop.  Ready,  whispering  to 
Mr.  Seagrave  that  the  pigs  were  all  close  to  them, 
loaded  his  musket ;  Mr.  Seagrave  did  the  same,  and 
they  walked  very  softly  to  where  they  now  heard  their 
grunting ;  they  did  not  see  them  till  they  were  within 
twenty  yards,  and  then  they  came  upon  the  whole 
herd :  the  pigs  raised  their  heads  ;  the  old  ones  gave 
a  loud  grunt,  and  then,  just  as  Ready  fired  his 
musket,  they  all  set  off  at  full  speed.  Mr.  Seagrave 
had  no  opportunity  of  firing,  but  Ready  had  shot  one, 
which  lay  kicking  and  struggling  under  a  cocoanut- 
tree. 

"  A  piece  of  fresh  pork  will  be  quite  a  treat,  Mr. 
Seagrave,"  said  Ready,  as  they  walked  up  to  where 
the  animal  was  lying. 

"  It  will,  indeed,  Ready,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
"  we  must  contrive  to  carry  the  beast  home  between 
us." 

"  We  will  sling  it  on  the  musket,  sir,  and  it  will  not 
be  very  heavy.  It  is  one  of  those  born  on  the  island, 
and  a  very  fine  fellow  for  his  age." 

The  pig  was  soon  slung,  and  they  carried  it  between 
them.  As  they  cleared  the  wood  they  perceived 
Mrs.  Seagrave  and  William,  who  had  heard  the 


MASTERMAN  HEADY.  347 

report  of  the  musket,  and  had  come  out  to  meet 
them.  Mrs.  Seagrave  was  a  little  agitated ;  but  as 
soon  as  she  saw  the  pig  she  knew  why  the  musket  had 
been  fired. 

"  I  was  a  little  alarmed  when  I  heard  the  musket 
fired,  I  must  say,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  as  she  embraced 
her  husband.  "  I  had  no  idea  that  you  would  be  back 
to-day.  We  are  all  quite  well." 

William  took  the  load  from  his  father,  who  walked 
on  with  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Well,  Master  William,  what  news  have  you  ?"  said 
Eeady. 

"  Why,  very  good,  Ready.  Yesterday  evening, 
when  I  was  tired  of  work,  I  thought  I  would  take  the 
boat  and  try  if  there  was  any  fish  to  be  caught  on  this 
side  of  the  island,  in  the  deep  water,  and  I  caught 
three  large  ones,  quite  different  from  those  we  took 
among  the  reefs.  We  had  one  for  breakfast  and  din- 
ner to-day,  and  it  was  excellent." 

"  Did  you  go  out  in  the  boat  by  yourself  ?" 

"  ISTo ;  I  took  Juno  with  me.  Mamma  said  that  she 
could  spare  her  for  an  hour  or  so.  She  pulls  very  well, 
Eeady." 

"  She  is  a  handy  girl,  Master  William.  Well,  we 
have  had  our  survey,  and  there  will  be  plenty  of  work 
for  you  and  me,  I  can  tell  you ;  I  don't  think  we  can 
bring  everything  round  in  a  week ;  so  I  suppose  to- 
morrow we  had  better  be  off.  But  we  must  hear  what 
your  father  says." 

"  Well,  I  like  boating  better  than  ditching,  I  can  tell 
you,  Ready,"  replied  William.  "  I  shan't  be  sorry  to 
leave  that  work  to  my  father." 

"  I  suppose  it  must  fall  to  him,  sir ;  as  he  will,  of 


348  MASTERMAN  READY. 

course,  prefer  staying  with.  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the 
children." 

As  soon  as  they  were  close  at  the  tents,  Ready  hung 
up  the  pig  to  the  cross-pole  of  the  tent  in  which  he 
and  William  and  Mr.  Seagrave  slept,  and  having  prop- 
ped the  muskets  up  against  the  side  of  the  tent,  he 
went  with  William  to  get  his  knife  and  some  stretchers 
of  wood  to  open  the  pig  with.  While  he  and  William 
were  away,  Caroline  and  Tommy  came  out  to  look  at 
the  pig,  and  Tommy,  after  telling  Caroline  how  glad 
he  was  that  they  were  to  have  roast  pig  for  dinner, 
took  up  one  of  the  muskets,  and  said :  "  Now,  Caroline, 
Til  shoot  the  pig." 

"  Oh  !  Tommy,  you  must  not  touch  the  gun !"  cried 
Caroline ;  "  papa  Avill  be  very  angry ;  recollect  you 
made  it  go  off  when  we  were  at  the  cove." 

"I  don't  care,"  replied  Tommy.  "I'll  show  you 
how  to  shoot  the  pig." 

"  Don't,  Tommy !"  cried  Caroline  ;  "  if  you  do,  I'll 
go  and  tell  mamma." 

"Then  I'll  shoot  you,"  replied  Tommy,  trying  to 
point  the  musket  at  her. 

Caroline  was  so  frightened  that  she  ran  away  as  fast 
as  she  could,  and  then  Tommy,  using  all  his  strength, 
contrived  to  get  the  musket  up  to  his  shoulder,  and 
pulled  the  trigger. 

It  so  happened  that  Tommy  had  taken  up  Mr.  Sea- 
grave's  musket,  which  had  not  been  fired,  and  when  he 
pulled  the  trigger  it  went  off,  and  as  he  did  not  hold 
it  tight  to  his  shoulder  it  recoiled,  and  hit  him  with 
the  butt  right  on  his  face,  knocking  out  two  of  his 
teeth,  and  bruising  his  cheek  very  much,  besides  making 
his  nose  bleed  very  fast. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  349 

Tommy  was  so  astonished  and  frightened  at  the 
musket  going  off,  and  the  blow  which  he  received, 
that  he  gave  a  loud  yell,  dropped  the  musket,  and  ran 
to  the  tent  where  his  father  and  mother  were,  just  as 
they  had  started  up  and  had  rushed  out  at  hearing  the 
report. 

When  Mrs.  Seagrave  saw  Tommv  all  covered  with 

fj  V 

blood,  and  screaming  so  loud,  she  was  so  alarmed  that 
she  could  not  stand,  and  she  fell  fainting  in  Mr.  Sea- 
grave's  arms.  Keady  and  William,  on  hearing  the 
musket  go  off,  had  run  as  fast  as  they  could,  fearing 
that  some  accident  had  happened  ;  and  while  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  supported  his  wife,  Ready  went  to  Tommy,  and 
wiping  the  blood  off  his  face  with  the  palm  of  his  hand, 
perceived  that  there  was  no  wound  or  serious  mischief, 
and  cried  out  to  Mr.  Seagrave :  "  He's  not  hurt,  sir ; 
it's  only  his  nose  bleeding.  Leave  off  crying  and 
screaming,  you  naughty  boy.  How  dare  you  touch 
the  musket?" 

"  Musket  knock  me  down,"  cried  Tommy,  sobbing  as 
the  blood  ran  out  of  his  mouth. 

"  Serve  you  right,  Master  Tommy  ;  you'll  take  care 
not  to  touch  the  musket  again." 

"  I  won't  touch  it  again,"  cried  Tommy,  blubbering  ; 
"  it  shoot  me." 

Juno  now  came  up  with  some  water  to  wash  his  face ; 
Mrs.  Seagrave  had  recovered,  and  gone  back  into  the 
tent,  on  Mr.  Seagrave  telling  her  that  it  was  only 
Tommy's  nose  which  was  bleeding. 

In  about  half  an  hour  Tommy  had  ceased  crying, 
and  his  nose  had  left  off  bleeding;  his  face  was 
washed,  and  then  it  was  discovered  that  he  had  lost 
two  front  teeth,  and  that  his  cheek  and  lips  were  very 


350  MASTERHAN  READY. 

much  bruised.  He  was  undressed  and  put  to  bed,  and 
was  soon  fast  asleep. 

"  I  should  not  have  left  the  muskets,"  said  Ready  to 
"William ;  "  it  was  my  fault,  but  I  thought  Mr.  Tommy 
had  been  told  so  often  not  to  touch  firearms  that  he 
would  not  have  dared  to  do  so ;  but  if  there  is  mischief 
to  be  done,  he  is  certain  to  find  it  out." 

"  He  pointed  it  at  me,  and  tried  to  shoot  me,"  said 
Caroline,  "  but  I  ran  away." 

"Merciful  heavens!  what  an  escape!"  cried  Mrs. 
Seagrave.  "  Had  he  pulled  the  trigger  then,  my  dear 
child  Would  have  been  killed.  Naughty  boy  that  he 
is." 

"  He  has  been  well  punished  this  time,  madam  ;  and 
I'll  venture  to  say  he  will  not  touch  a  musket  again  in 
a  hurry." 

"  Yes ;  but  he  must  be  punished  more,"  said  Mr. 
Seagrave  ;  "  he  must  remember  it." 

"  Well,  sir,  if  he  is  to  be  punished  more,  I  think  you 
cannot  punish  him  better  than  by  not  allowing  him  to 
have  any  of  the  pig  when  it  is  cooked.  Master 
Tommy  is  so  fond  of  his  dinner  that  it  will  be  the 
greatest  punishment  which  you  can  inflict." 

"  I  think  so  too,  Ready ;  and  therefore  that  is  a 
settled  thing — no  pig  for  Master  Tommy." 

After  this  conversation  they  had  their  supper,  and 
went  to  bed. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  351 


CHAPTER  LII. 

EEMUS   TURNS   POSTMAN. 

THE  next  morning  Master  Tommy's  face  presented 
a  very  woeful  appearance.  His  cheek  and  lips  were 
swelled  and  black,  and  the  loss  of  his  two  front  teeth 
made  him  look  much  worse ;  fortunately,  they  were 
his  first  teeth,  or  it  would  have  been  of  more  serious 
consequence. 

Tommy  looked  very  glum  when  he  came  to  break- 
fast. But  he  had  been  very  saucy  to  Juno,  telling  her 
that  he  had  shot  the  pig,  and  would  go  out  and  shoot 
another  as  soon  as  this  one  was  eaten  up. 

There  was  the  pig's  fry  for  breakfast,  and  the  smell 
of  it  had  been  very  inviting  to  Tommy  ;  but  when  his 
father  scolded  him  and  told  him  that  he  was  not  to 
have  one  bit  of  the  pig,  he  began  to  cry  and  roar  so 
loud  that  he  was  sent  away  from  the  tents  till  he  had 
left  off. 

After  breakfast  Ready  proposed  that  he  and  "William 
should  take  the  boat  and  begin  their  labor  of  carrying 
the  articles  round  from  the  cove  to  the  bay  where  the 
house  was,  pointing  out  that  there  was  not  a  day  to  be 
lost.  Juno  had  at  his  request  already  baked  a  large 
piece  of  the  pig  for  them  to  take  with  them,  and  boiled 
a  piece  of  salt  pork,  so  that  they  were  all  ready  to 


352  MASTERMAN  READY. 

start.  Mr.  Seagrave  agreed  to  work  at  the  hedge  and 
ditch  round  the  yam  plantations  during  their  absence. 

"  But,  Ready,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  how  long  do 
you  intend  to  remain  absent  with  William  ?" 

"  Why,  madam,  this  is  Wednesday ;  of  course  we 
shall  be  back  on  Saturday  night.  We  must  get  the 
work  done,  and  the  sooner  the  better." 

"  My  dear  William,  I  cannot  bear  the  idea  of  your 
being  absent  so  long,  and  as  you  will  be  on  the  water 
every  day,  I  shall  be  in  a  continual  fright  until  I  see 
you  again." 

"  Well,  mamma,  I  suppose  I  must  write  by  the  penny 
post,  to  let  you  know  how  I  am." 

"  Don't  laugh  at  me,  William.  I  do  wish  there  was 
a  penny  post,  and  that  you  could  write  every  day." 

Ready  and  William  made  every  preparation  for  a 
continued  absence.  They  took  their  blankets  with 
them,  and  a  small  pot  for  cooking,  and  when  all  was 
prepared  they  bade  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  farewell. 
Juno  assisted  to  get  the  luggage  down  to  the  boat. 
They  were  now  to  pull  to  the  bay,  and  leave  their 
luggage,  and  then  go  round  to  the  cove.  As  they 
shoved  off  William  took  the  dog  Remus  into  the 
boat. 

"  Why  do  you  take  the  dog,  Master  William  ?  he 
will  be  of  use  here  in  keeping  the  pigs  away,  but  of  no 
use  to  us." 

"  Yes,  he  will,  Ready  ;  I  must  take  him ;  for  I  have 
an  idea  come  into  my  head,  so  let  me  have  my  own 
way." 

"  Well,  Mr.  William,  you  can  always  have  your  own 
way  as  far  as  I'm  concerned ;  if  you  wish  to  take  the 
dog  there  is  an  end  of  the  matter.  Good-by,  Juno." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  353 

"Good-by,  Massa  Eeady;  good-by,  Mr.  "William; 
mind  you  come  back  Saturday,  and  bring  fish  with 
you." 

"  We'll  bring  you  a  turtle,  Juno ;  for  they  will  come 
to  the  island  again  soon,  and  then  we  will  turn  plenty 
more." 

They  hoisted  the  sail,  and,  as  the  breeze  was  fresh, 
were  round  to  the  bay  in  a  very  short  time.  They 
took  their  provisions  and  stores  up  to  the  house,  and 
made  fast  the  door,  called  the  fowls,  and  gave  them 
some  of  the  damaged  rice  which  Keady  had  brought 
round  with  him,  and  found,  to  their  great  delight,  that 
they  had  now  upward  of  forty  chickens,  all  healthy 
and  doing  well ;  some,  indeed,  quite  grown,  and  large 
enough  to  kill ;  but  as  they  had  plenty  of  fresh  provi- 
sions it  had  been  decided  that  they  should  not  be 
touched  as  yet,  for  the  eggs  would  be  of  more  value  to 
them  than  the  fowls. 

Then  they  got  into  the  boat  again,  and  pulled  away 
for  the  cove ;  the  wind  was  fresh,  and  against  them,  so 
they  had  a  long  pull ;  but,  as  Ready  observed,  it  was 
much  better  that  it  should  be  so,  as,  when  the  boat 
was  loaded,  they  could  very  quickly  sail  back  again  to 
the  bay. 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  cove  they  lost  no  time 
in  loading  the  boat ;  the  nails  and  iron-work  of  every 
description,  with  the  twine  and  tools  which  Ready  had 
brought  on  shore,  composed  the  major  part  of  the  first 
cargo ;  a  cask  of  flour  and  a  box  of  candles,  with  some 
bolts  of  canvas,  filled  the  boat ;  and,  calling  Remus, 
who  was  lying  on  the  sandy  beach  at  the  cove,  they 
shoved  off,  hoisted  their  sail,  and  in  an  hour  had  re- 
gained the  bay,  and  passed  through  the  reef. 


354  MASTERMAN  RE  ADJ. 

"I'm  glad  that  this  cargo  has  arrived  safe,  Master 
William,  for  it  is  very  valuable  to  us.  Now  we  will 
take  them  all  up,  and  that  will  be  sufficient  for  to-day ; 
to-morrow,  if  we  can,  we  will  make  two  trips ;  do  you 
think  you  can  manage  it,  sir  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes ;  if  we  only  start  very  early,"  replied  Will- 
iam ;  "  but  now  let  us  have  our  dinner  and  carry  the 
remainder  of  the  things  up  afterward." 

As  they  were  eating  their  dinner,  and  William  was 
giving  the  bones  to  the  dog,  Ready  said :  "  Pray,  Mas- 
ter William,  what  was  the  idea  in  your  head  which 
made  you  bring  Remus  with  you  ?" 

"  I  will  tell  you,  Ready ;  I  may  be  wrong,  but  I 
think  I  am  not;  I  mean  him  to  carry  a  letter  to 
mamma ;  you  know  that  he  always  goes  back  when  he 
is  ordered,  and  now  I  wish  to  see  if  he  will  not  go 
back  to  the  tents  if  he  is  told.  I  have  brought  a  piece 
of  paper  and  pencil  with  me." 

William  then  wrote  on  the  paper : 

"  DEAR  MAMMA  :  We  are  quite  well,  and  just  re- 
turned with  the  first  cargo  quite  safe.  Your  affec- 
tionate son,  WILLIAM." 

William  tied  the  paper  round  the  dog's  neck  with  a 
piece  of  twine,  and  then,  calling  him  out  of  the  house, 
said  to  him,  "  Remus,  go  lack,  sir — go  back,  sir." 

The  dog  looked  wistfully  at  William,  as  if  not  sure 
of  what  he  was  to  do,  but  William  took  up  a  stone  and 
pretended  to  throw  it  at  the  dog,  who  ran  a  little  dis- 
tance, and  then  stopped. 

"  Go  lack,  Remus — go  lack,  sir." 

William  again  pretended  to  throw  the  stone,  repeat- 


MASTERMA  N  READ  Y.  355 

ing  the  order,  and  then  the  dog  set  off  as  fast  as  his 
legs  could  carry  him  through  the  cocoanut-grove. 

"  He  is  gone,  at  all  events,"  said  William ;  "  I  think 
he  will  go  home." 

"  "We  shall  see,  sir,"  replied  Keady ;  "  and  now  that 
we  have  finished  our  dinner  we  will  bring  up  the 
things." 

"  Where  shall  we  put  them  ?" 

"  In  the  storehouse,  Master  William.  It  will  be  a 
good,  long  job,  for  those  kegs  of  nails  and  cases  are 
very  heavy,  and  will  require  both  of  us  to  carry  them ; 
so  we  must  make  a  good  many  trips.  However,  we 
have  three  or  four  hours'  daylight." 


356  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEE   LIH. 

THE   ANSWER   TO   THE    LETTER. 

As  soon  as  they  had  carried  up  the  whole  of  the 
cargo  they  secured  the  boat,  and  went  up  to  the  house 
to  sleep.  Just  as  they  went  in  Remus  came  bounding 
up  to  them,  with  the  letter  round  his  neck. 

"  Here's  the  dog,  Master  William,"  said  Ready  ;  "  he 
won't  go  home,  after  all." 

"  How  provoking ;  I  made  sure  he  would  go  back ; 
I  really  am  disappointed.  We  will  give  him  nothing 
to  eat,  and  then  he  will ;  but,  dear  me,  Ready,  this  is 
not  the  paper  I  tied  round  his  neck.  I  think  not.  Let 
me  see." 

William  took  the  paper,  opened  it,  and  read : 

"  DEAR  WILLIAM  :  Your  letter  arrived  safe,  and  we 
are  glad  you  are  well.     Write  every  day,  and  God 
bless  you ;  it  was  very  clever  of  you  and  Remus. 
"  Your  affectionate  "mother, 

"  SELINA  SEAGRAVE." 

"  Well,  it  is  very  clever,"  said  Ready.  "  I'm  sure  I 
had  no  idea  he  had  gone ;  and  his  coming  back  again, 
too,  when  he  was  ordered." 

"  Dear  Remus,  good  dog,"  said  William,  caressing 
it ;  "  nice,  good  dog  ;  now  I'll  give  you  a  good  supper, 
for  you  deserve  it." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  357 

"  So  he  does,  sir.  Well,  you've  established  a  post  on 
the  island,  which  is  a  great  improvement.  Seriously, 
Mr.  William,  it  may  prove  very  useful." 

"  At  all  events,  it  will  be  a  great  comfort  to  my 
mother." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  especially  as  we  shall  be  obliged  all  three 
to  be  here  when  we  fit  up  the  storehouse,  and  make 
the  proposed  alterations.  Now  I  think  we  had  better 
go  to  bed,  sir,  for  we  must  be  up  with  the  lark  to-mor- 
row, as  they  say  in  England." 

"  And  here  I  suppose  we  must  say,  up  with  the  par- 
rots ;  for  they  are  the  only  land  birds  on  the  island." 

"  You  forget  the  pigeons,  sir;  I  saw  one  of  them  in 
the  wood  the  other  day ;  but  they  are  breeding  just 
now.  Good-night,  sir." 

The  next  morning  they  were  off  before  breakfast, 
and  as  the  wind  was  not  so  fresh,  they  had  not  so 
hard  a  pull.  The  boat  was  soon  loaded,  and  they  re- 
turned under  sail.  They  then  breakfasted,  and  having 
left  the  things  they  had  brought  on  the  beach,  that 
they  might  lose  no  time,  they  set  off  again,  and  re- 
turned with  another  cargo  two  hours  before  dusk; 
this  they  landed,  and  then  secured  the  boat.  As  soon 
as  they  were  in  the  house  William  wrote  on  a  piece  of 
paper : 

"  DEAR  MAMMA  :  We  have  brought  round  two  cargoes 
to-day.  All  well,  and  very  tired.  Yours, 

"  WILLIAM." 

Remus  did  not  require  any  teaching  this  time. 
William  patted  him,  and  said :  "  Good  dog.  Now, 
Remus,  go  back — go  home,  sir ;"  and  the  dog  wagged 
his  tail  and  set  off  immediately. 


358  MASTERMAN  READY. 

Before  they  were  in  bed  the  dog  returned  with  the 
answer. 

"  How  fast  he  must  run,  Ready ;  he  has  not  been 
away  more  than  two  hours." 

"  No,  sir.     What  does  mamma  say  ?" 

"  Only,  '  All's  well ;  won't  detain  your  messenger.' 
So,  now,  Kemus,  you  shall  have  plenty  of  supper,  and 
plenty  of  patting  and  coaxing,  for  you  are  a  clever, 
good  little  dog." 

The  next  day,  as  they  had  to  take  the  two  cargoes 
up  to  the  house  they  could  only  make  one  trip  to  the 
cove.  The  post  was  sent  to  the  tents,  and  returned 
with  the  answer  as  before. 

On  Saturday  they  only  made  one  trip,  as  they  had 
to  return  to  the  tents,  which  they  did  by  water,  having 
first  put  a  turtle  into  the  boat.  On  their  arrival  they 
found  them  all  at  the  little  harbor,  waiting  to  receive 
them. 

"  Well,  William  dear,  you  did  keep  your  promise 
and  send  me  a  letter  by  post,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave. 
"  How  very  delightful  it  is ;  I  shall  have  no  fear  now 
when  you  are  all  away." 

"  I  must  teach  Romulus  and  Yixen  to  do  the  same, 
mamma." 

"  And  I'll  teach  the  puppies,"  said  Tommy ;  "  and 
I'll  write  letters." 

"  Yes,  Master  Tommy;  by  the  time  you  can  write  a 
letter,  the  puppies  will  be  old  enough  to  carry  it,"  said 
Ready.  "  I  see  your  face  is  not  quite  well  yet ;  you 
won't  shoot  any  more  dead  pigs,  I  hope." 

"  No,  I  won't ;  but  I'll  eat  plenty  more  of  the  next 
one  that  you  kill." 

"  That  will  be  much  wiser,  Master  Tommy.     Come, 


MA8TERMAN  READY.  359 

Albert  dear,  I'll  carry  you  up  ;  you  and  I  haven't  had 
a  game  of  play  for  a  long  while.  How  does  the  ditch 
and  hedge  get  on,  Mr.  Seagrave  ?" 

"Pretty  well,  Keady,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave.  "I 
have  nearly  finished  two  sides.  I  think  by  the  end  of 
next  week  I  shall  have  it  pretty  well  inclosed." 

"  Well,  sir,  you  must  not  work  too  hard ;  there  is  no 
great  hurry.  William  and  I  can  get  through  a  great 
deal  together." 

"  It  is  my  duty  to  work,  Ready ;  and  I  may  add,  it 
is  a  pleasure.  Now  we  will  go  to  supper." 

As  they  were  at  supper  the  conversation  turned 
upon  the  cleverness  shown  by  the  dog  Remus. 

Mr.  Seagrave  then  narrated  many  instances  of  the 
sagacity  of  animals,  when  William  asked  the  question 
of  his  father :  "  What  is  the  difference,  then,  between 
reason  and  instinct  ?" 

"  The  difference  is  very  great,  William,  as  I  will 
explain  to  you ;  but  I  must  first  observe  that  it  has 
been  the  custom  to  say  that  man  is  governed  by 
reason,  and  animals  by  instinct,  alone.  This  is  an 
error.  Man  has  instinct  as  well  as  reason :  and  animals, 
although  chiefly  governed  by  instinct,  have  reasoning 
powers." 

"  In  what  points  does  man  show  that  he  is  led  by 
instinct  ?" 

"  When  a  child  is  first  born,  William,  it  acts  by  in- 
stinct only,  the  reasoning  powers  are  not  yet  developed ; 
as  we  grow  up,  our  reason  becomes  every  day  more 
matured,  and  gains  the  mastery  over  our  instinct, 
which  decreases  in  proportion." 

"  Then,  when  we  have  grown  to  a  good  old  age,  I 
suppose  we  have  no  instinct  left  in  us  ?" 


360  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Not  so,  my  dear  boy ;  there  is  one  and  a  most 
powerful  instinct  implanted  in  man,  which  never 
deserts  him  on  this  side  of  the  grave ;  it  is  the  fear, 
not  of  death,  but  of  utter  annihilation,  that  of  becom- 
ing nothing  after  death.  This  instinctive  feeling  could 
not  have  been  so  deeply  implanted  in  us,  but  as  an  as- 
surance that  we  shall  not  be  annihilated  after  death, 
but  that  our  souls  shall  still  exist,  although  our  bodies 
shall  have  perished.  It  may  be  termed  the  instinctive 
evidence  of  a  future  existence." 

"  That  is  very  true,  Mr.  Seagrave,"  observed  old 
Keady. 

"  Instinct  in  animals,  William,"  continued  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  "  is  a  feeling  which  compels  them  to  perform 
certain  acts  without  previous  thought  or  reflection; 
this  instinct  is  in  full  force  at  the  moment  of  their 
birth ;  it  is  the  guidance  of  the  Almighty's  hand  un- 
seen ;  it  was  therefore  perfect  in  the  beginning,  and 
has  never  varied.  The  swallow  built  her  nest,  the 
spider  its  web,  the  bee  formed  its  comb,  precisely  in 
the  same  way  four  thousand  years  ago  as  they  do  now. 
I  may  here  observe  that  one  of  the  greatest  wonders 
of  instinct  is  the  mathematical  form  of  the  honeycomb 
of  the  bee,  which  has  been  proved  by  demonstration 
to  be  that  by  which  is  given  the  greatest  possible 
saving  of  time  and  labor.  The  wonders  of  instinct  are 
chiefly  to  be  observed  among  those  animals  which  are 
gregarious,  or  which  live  in  communities." 

"  Explain  that  to  me,  papa." 

"  Gregarious  animals  are  those  which  live  in  flocks  ; 
for  instance,  take  the  many  varieties  of  birds — the 
swallow,  the  wild  fowl,  the  sea-birds,  the  rooks,  and 
the  crows.  The  instinct  which  they  show  in  their 


MASTERMAN  READY  361 

migrations  from  one  part  of  the  world  to  the  other, 
the  method  of  the  flight  of  wild  fowls  so  as  to  offer  the 
least  resistance  to  the  wind,  each  bird  taking  his 
station  in  the  order  of  flight  with  a  precision  which 
could  only  have  been  dictated  by  a  secret  unerring 
power ;  then  again,  their  practice  of  placing  sentinels 
to  watch  when  they  sleep,  or  give  the  alarm  at  the 
approach  of  danger.  All  this  is  pure  instinct,  and 
wonderful ;  and  it  is  equally  to  be  observed  in  beasts 
as  in  birds." 

"  And  those  which  live  in  communities,  papa  ?" 

"  Such  as  the  ant,  the  bee,  and  many  other  insects, 
and  the  beaver  among  animals.  Nothing  is  more 
admirable  than  the  precision  of  their  work,  their 
means  of  communication,  and  the  exact  discharge  of 
duty  in  each  individual." 

"  But  that  is  all  pure  instinct,  papa ;  now  you  said 
that  animals  have  reasoning  powers.  Will  you  point 
out  to  me  how  they  show  that  they  have  ?" 

"  I  will,  my  dear  boy ;  but  we  had  better  defer  it 
till  another  evening.  It  is  time  to  go  to  bed.  Caro- 
line is  asleep,  and  Tommy  is  yawning." 

"  Their  instinct  and  reason  are  both  opposed  to  me, 
papa,"  replied  William,  laughing,  "  so  I  must  wait ; 
but  I  really  am  most  anxious  to  hear  what  you  have 
to  tell  me  on  the  subject." 

"  And  so  am  I,  Master  William,"  replied  Eeady ; 
"  but  I  am  not  sorry  to  have  time  to  think  about  what 
Mr.  Seagrave  has  already  said — there  is  much  to 
wonder  at." 

"  There  always  will  be,  Eeady,  when  we  examine 
the  works  of  God.  Good-night." 


362  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  LIT. 

ANECDOTES   OF   ELEPHANTS. 

THE  following  day,  being  Sunday,  was  devoted  to 
the  usual  religious  exercises.  Tommy  stole  away  out 
of  the  tent  while  Mr.  Seagrave  was  reading  a  sermon, 
to  have  a  peep  at  the  turtle-soup,  which  was  boiling 
on  the  fire ;  however,  Juno  suspected  him,  and  had 
hold  of  him  just  as  he  was  taking  the  lid  off  the  pot. 
He  was  well  scolded,  and  very  much  frightened  lest  he 
should  have  no  soup  for  his  dinner  ;  however,  as  it  was 
not  a  very  heavy  offense,  he  was  forgiven. 

In  the  evening  William  requested  his  father  to 
renew  the  conversation  about  the  reasoning  powers 
of  animals. 

"  "With  pleasure,  William,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
"  it  is  a  very  fit  discourse  for  a  Sunday  evening.  Let 
us,  however,  first  examine  the  various  mental  faculties 
discoverable  in  animals.  In  the  first  place,  they  have 
memory,  especially  memory  of  persons  and  places, 
quite  as  tenacious  as  oar  own.  A  dog  will  recognize 
an  old  master  after  many  years'  absence.  An  ele- 
phant, who  had  again  escaped  into  the  woods,  after 
twenty  years  remaining  in  a  wild  state,  recognized  his 
old  mahoot,  or  driver.  A  dog  will  find  his  way  back, 
when  taken  more  than  a  hundred  miles  from  his 
master's  residence.  The  memory  of  the  parrot  and 


MASTERMAN  READY.  363 

cockatoo  is  also  very  remarkable.  Another  proof  of 
memory  in  animals,  were  it  required,  is  that  they 
dream.  Now,  a  dream  is  a  confused  recollection  of 
past  events  ;  and  how  often  do  you  not  hear  Romulus 
and  Eemus  growling,  barking,  and  whining  in  their 
sleep !" 

"  Very  true,  papa." 

"  Well,  then,  they  have  attention.  See  how  patiently 
a  cat  will  remain  for  hours  before  a  hole,  in  watch  for 
the  mouse  to  come  out.  A  spider  will  remain  for 
months  watching  for  the  fly  to  enter  its  web ;  but  this 
quality  is  to  be  observed  in  every  animal  in  the  pur- 
suit of  its  prey.  They  have  also  association  of  ideas, 
which  is,  in  fact,  reasoning.  A  dog  proves  that ;  he 
will  allow  a  gentleman  to  come  up  to  the  door,  but  fly 
at  a  beggar.  When  he  is  in  charge  of  any  property  he 
will  take  no  notice  of  a  passer-by ;  but  if  a  man  stops 
he  barks  immediately.  I  knew  a  bloodhound  who 
used  to  leap  on  the  low  wall  round  the  premises  when 
he  heard  any  one  outside,  and  walk  abreast  of  the  per- 
son until  he  was  clear  of  the  premises.  In  the  elephant 
this  association  of  ideas  is  even  more  remarkable ;  in- 
deed, he  understands  what  is  said  to  him  better  than 
any  other  animal;  his  reasoning  powers  are  most 
extraordinary.  Promise  him  rewards,  and  he  will 
make  wonderful  exertion.  He  is  also  extremely  alive 
to  a  sense  of  shame.  The  elephants  were  employed  to 
transport  the  heavy  artillery  in  India.  One  of  the 
finest  attempted  in  vain  to  force  a  gun  through  a 
swamp.  '  Take  away  that  lazy  beast,'  said  the  director, 
'  and  bring  another.'  The  animal  was  so  stung  with 
the  reproach  that  it  used  so  much  exertion  to  force 
the  gun  on  with  its  head  as  to  fracture  its  skull,  and  it 


364  MASTERMAN  READY. 

fell  dead.  When  Chunee,  the  elephant  which  was  so 
long  in  Exeter  'Change,  was  ordered,  as  usual,  to  take 
up  a  sixpence  with  his  trunk,  it  happened  one  day  that 
the  sixpence  rolled  against  the  skirting-board  out  of 
his  reach.  Chunee  stopped  and  reflected  a  little  while, 
and  then,  drawing  the  air  into  his  trunk,  he  threw  it 
out  with  all  his  force  against  the  skirting-board ;  the 
rebound  of  the  air  from  the  skirting-board  blew  the 
sixpence  toward  him,  and  he  was  enabled  to  reach  it." 

"That  was  very  clever  of  him,  indeed,"  replied 
William. 

"  Yes ;  it  was  a  proof  of  thought,  with  a  knowledge 
of  cause  and  effect,  which  latter  quality  is  also  to  be 
discovered  in  many  other  animals.  Animals  have  also 
a  knowledge  of  time.  I  knew  two  spaniels,  belonging 
to  a  lady,  who  always  accompanied  her  out  in  the  car- 
riage when  she  went  for  an  airing  on  the  week-days  ; 
but  on  Sundays,  when  she  went  to  church  in  her  car- 
riage, they  were,  of  course,  not  taken  with  her.  These 
dogs  knew  when  Sunday  came,  as  well  as  their  mis- 
tress. If  the  carriage  drove  up  to  the  door  on  a  week- 
day the  two  dogs  came  bounding  out,  and  as  soon 
as  the  steps  of  the  carriage  were  let  down  jumped  in 
immediately ;  but  on  Sunday  they  never  attempted  it, 
remaining  quietly  looking  on  in  the  hall.  There  was 
a  curious  instance  of  a  horse,  which,  by  the  bye,  I  con- 
sider the  most  noble  animal  of  creation,  which  was 
ridden  round  by  his  master,  to  deliver  newspapers.  He 
invariably  stopped  at  the  doors  where  papers  were  to 
be  left ;  but  it  happened  that  two  people,  living  at  dif- 
ferent houses,  took  in  a  weekly  newspaper  between 
them ;  and  it  was  agreed  that  one  should  have  the  first 
reading  of  it  one  week,  and  the  other  on  the  following. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  365 

After  a  short  time  the  horse  became  accustomed  to 
this  arrangement,  and  stopped  at  the  one  house  on  the 
one  week,  and  at  the  other  house  on  the  following, 
never  making  a  mistake." 

"  That  was  very  curious ;  what  a  sagacious  animal 
he  must  have  been,"  observed  William. 

"  Animals  also  are,  as  you  know,  capable  of  receiving 
instruction,  which  is  another  proof  of  reasoning  powers. 
The  elephant,  the  horse,  the  dog,  the  pig,  even  birds, 
may  be  taught  a  great  deal ;  canary  birds,  for  instance, 
have  been  exhibited  who  fire  off  cannon,  pretend  to  be 
dead,  and  play  a  variety  of  tricks." 

"  But  then,  papa,  I  still  wish  to  know  where  the  line 
is  to  be  drawn  between  reason  and  instinct." 

"  I  was  about  to  come  to  that  very  point,  William. 
When  animals  follow  their  instinct  in  providing  their 
food,  the  bringing  up  of  their  young,  and  their  precau- 
tions against  dangers,  they  follow  certain  fixed  rules, 
from  which  they  never  deviate.  But  circumstances 
may  occur  against  which  their  instinct  can  afford  them 
no  regular  provision ;  then  it  is  that  their  reasoning 
powers  are  called  into  action.  I  will  explain  this  by 
stating  a  fact  relative  to  the  bee,  one  of  the  animals 
upon  which  instinct  is  most  powerful  in  its  action. 
There  is  a  certain  large  moth,  called  the  death's-head 
moth,  which  is  very  fond  of  honey.  It  sometimes 
contrives  to  force  its  way  through  the  aperture  of  the 
hive,  and  gain  an  entrance.  The  bees  immediately 
attack  it,  and  it  is  soon  destroyed  by  their  stings ;  but 
the  carcass  is  so  large  that  they  cannot  carry  it  out  of 
the  hive,  as  they  invariably  do  the  bodies  of  the 
smaller  insects  which  may  have  intruded,  and  it  ap- 
pears that  their  sense  of  smell  is  very  acute.  What, 


366  MASTERMAN  READY. 

then,  do  they  do  to  avoid  the  stench  arising  from  the 
dead  body  of  this  large  moth?  Why,  they  embalm 
it,  covering  it  entirely  with  wax,  by  which  it  no  longer 
becomes  offensive  to  them." 

"  But,  papa,  might  not  their  instinct  have  provided 
for  such  an  event  ?"  observed  William. 

"  If  such  an  event  could  have  occurred  to  the  bees 
in  their  wild  state,  you  certainly  might  have  raised  the 
question;  but  recollect,  William,  that  bees  in  their 
wild  state  live  in  the  hollows  of  trees,  and  that  the 
hole  by  which  they  enter  is  never  more  than  sufficiently 
large  to  admit  one  bee  at  a  time  ;  consequently  no  an- 
imal larger  than  a  bee  could  gain  entrance,  and  if  it 
did,  could  of  course  have  beon  easily  removed  from  the 
hive ;  but  the  bees  were  here  in  a  new  position,  in  an 
artificial  state,  in  a  hive  of  straw  with  a  large  aperture, 
and  therefore  met  with  an  exigence  they  were  not  pre- 
pared for,  and  acted  accordingly." 

"  Yes,  papa,  I  perceive  the  difference." 

"  Again,  a  tame  elephant  in  India  fell  into  a  deep  tank. 
It  was  impossible  to  hoist  him  out,  and  he  must  there- 
fore have  perished  there  ;  but  his  driver,  knowing  how 
intelligent  the  animal  was,  advised  that  a  quantity  of 
the  large  fagots  should  be  tied  up  and  thrown  down  to 
the  elephant.  The  animal  perfectly  well  understood 
what  he  was  to  do.  He  laid  one  tier  of  fagots  and 
stood  upon  them,  and  as  they  continued  to  throw  the 
fagots  down,  so  did  he  continue  to  pile  them  up  tier 
upon  tier,  standing  upon  them  till  they  were  high 
enough  for  him  to  walk  out  of  the  tank,  Now  here 
you  perceive  that  there  was  an  exigence  wholly  un- 
provided for  ;  an  elephant  might  fall  into  a  tank,  but 
it  was  left  for  the  animal  itself  in  this  case  to  exercise 


MASTERMAN  READY.  367 

its  own  reasoning  powers  as  to  how  the  fagots  thrown 
down  were  to  enable  him  to  get  out  again." 

"  That  elephant  certainly  did  reason,  papa.  Why, 
many  men  would  not  have  known,  what  to  do  with  the 
fagots  if  they  had  not  been  told." 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  not  many,  my  dear  William.  I 
will  conclude  my  observations  with  one  remark.  It 
appears  to  me,  that  although  the  Almighty  has  thought 
proper  to  vary  the  intellectual  and  the  reasoning 
powers  of  animals  in  the  same  way  that  He  has  varied 
the  species,  and  the  forms,  yet  even  in  this  arrange- 
ment He  has  not  been  unmindf  ul  of  the  interest  and 
wellf  are  of  man.  For  you  will  observe  that  the  reason- 
ing powers  are  chiefly,  if  not  wholly,  given  to  those 
animals  which  man  subjects  to  his  service,  and  for  his 
use — the  elephant,  the  horse,  and  the  dog ;  thereby 
making  these  animals  of  more  value,  as  the  powers 
given  to  them  are  at  the  service  and  under  the  control 
of  man." 

"  That  is  a  beautiful  wind-up,  Mr.  Seagrave,  and  it's 
as  true  as  it's  beautiful,"  observed  Keady.  "  It  may 
well  be  said,  '  He  is  gracious  in  all  things.'  " 


368  MASTERMAN  HEADY. 


CHAPTEK  LV. 

THE   HEDGE   AND   DITCH   FINISHED. 

ON  the  Monday  morning  "William  and  Ready  went 
away  in  the  boat,  as  before,  to  bring  round  the  various 
articles  from  the  cove.  It  had  been  arranged  that 
they  were  not  to  return  till  the  Saturday  evening,  "and 
that  the  dog  Remus  was  to  bring  intelligence  of  them 
and  their  welfare  every  afternoon.  They  worked 
hard  during  the  week,  and  on  Saturday  they  had  com- 
pleted their  task ;  with  the  exception  of  a  portion  of 
the  timbers  of  the  ship,  everything  had  been  brought 
round,  but  had  not  been  carried  up  to  the  storehouse, 
as  that  required  more  time. 

On  Saturday  morning  they  went  for  the  last  time 
to  the  cove,  and  Ready  selected  some  heavy  oak  timber 
out  of  the  quantity  which  was  lying  on  the  beach,  part 
of  which  they  put  into  the  boat,  and  the  remainder  they 
towed  astern.  It  was  a  heavy  load,  and  although  the 
wind  was  fair  to  sail  back  again  to  the  bay,  the  boat 
went  but  slowly  through  the  water. 

"  Well,  Master  William,"  said  Ready,  "  we  have  done 
a  good  week's  work,  and  I  must  say  it  is  high  time 
that  it  is  done ;  for  the  boat  is  in  rather  a  crazy  con- 
dition, and  I  must  contrive  to  patch  her  up  by  and  by, 
when  there  is  time." 

"  We  shall  not  want  to  use  her  very  much  after  this, 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  369 

Eeady,"  replied  William ;  "  a  few  trips  round  to  the 
little  harbor  will  be  all  that  will  be  required  before  we 
come  back  again  to  our  old  quarters." 

"  That's  true,  Master  William ;  but  she  leaks  very 
much,  and  at  all  events  I'll  give  her  a  coat  of  pitch  as 
soon  as  possible.  For  a  slight-built  little  thing  as  she 
is,  she  has  done  hard  duty." 

"  Pray,  Ready,  why,  when  you  speak  of  a  ship  or 
boat,  do  you  always  call  it  she  ?" 

"  Well,  Master  William,  I  don't  know  why,  but  it  is 
certain  that  we  sailors  always  do  so.  I  believe  it  is 
because  a  sailor  loves  his  ship.  His  ship  is  his  wife, 
is  a  very  common  saying  with  us ;  and  then,  you  see, 
Master  William,  a  vessel  is  almost  a  thing  of  life  in 
appearance;  she  sits  like  a  duck  on  the  water,  and 
when  it  is  calm  she  rolls  to  and  fro  like  a  lazy  person ; 
make  sail  on  her,  and  she  flies  through  the  water  as  if 
she  were  a  porpoise  or  a  "dolphin ;  press  her  with  too 
much  canvas,  and  she  complains ;  and  when  buffeted 
by  the  tempest,  she  groans  like  one  who  suffers.  So 
that  being  to  us  sailors  a  sort  of  living  thing,  and  we 
being  fond  of  her,  we  call  her  she;  I  suppose,  because 
a  man  gets  fonder  of  a  woman  than  any  other  thing 
that's  living.  I  believe  that's  the  reason,  and  of  course 
if  a  vessel  is  she,  a  little  boat  must  be  a  she  also." 

"  Well,  I  think  you  have  explained  it  very  well, 
Ready.  I  suppose  on  Monday  we  shall  set  to  at  the 
storehouse,  and  alter  it  for  our  future  residence  ?" 

"  Can't  begin  too  soon,  Master  William,"  replied 
Ready  ;  "  I  don't  doubt  but  Mr.  Seagrave  has  finished 
the  hedge  and  ditch  round  the  yams  by  this  time,  and 
if  so,  I  expect  that  madam  will  not  like  to  be  left  in 
the  tents  alone  with  Juno  and  the  children,  and  so  we 


370  MASTERMAN  READY. 

shall  all  move  back  to  the  house  again  until  we  have 
altered  the  storehouse  ;  I  must  say  that  I  would  rather 
that  your  mamma  should  remain  in  the  tents  until  all 
was  finished." 

"  Because  you  are  afraid  of  a  visit  from  the  savages  ?" 

"I  am,  sir,  and  that's  the  truth." 

"  But,  Ready,  if  they  do  come,  we  shall  see  them 
coming,  and  would  it  not  be  better  that  we  should  all 
be  together,  even  if  we  are  obliged  to  conceal  ourselves 
in  consequence  of  not  being  prepared  ?  Suppose  the 
savages  were  to  overrun  the  island,  and  find  my  mother, 
my  little  brother  and  sister  defenseless  at  the  time  we 
were  obliged  to  retreat  from  our  house ;  how  dreadful 
that  would  be !" 

"  But,  Master  William,  I  counted  upon  retreating  to 
the  tents." 

"  So  we  can  altogether,  Ready,  unless  we  are  sur- 
prised in  the  night." 

"  That  we  must  take  care  not  to  be.     There's  not 

three  hours'  darkness  in  this  season  of  the  year.     Well, 

Master  William,  I  doubt  not  you  may  be  right,  and  if 

they  are  all  with  us,  Juno  will  be  a  great  help,  and  we 

•  shall  get  through  our  work  the  faster." 

"  We  had  better  let  the  question  be  decided  by  my 
father  and  mother." 

"Yery  true,  Master  William;  here's  the  point  at 
last.  We  will  haul  the  timber  on  the  beach,  and  then 
be  off  as  fast  as  we  can,  for  it  is  getting  late." 

It  was,  indeed,  much  later  than  they  had  usually 
arrived  at  the  little  harbor,  owing  to  the  heavy  load, 
which  made  the  boat  so  long  in  coming  round  from 
the  cove ;  and  when  they  pulled  in  they  found  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  children  all  waiting  for  them. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  371 

"  You  are  very  late,  William  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave.  "  I  was  quite  uneasy  till  I  saw  the  boat  at  a 
distance." 

"  Yes,  mamma ;  but  we  could  not  help  it ;  we  had  a 
heavy  load  to  bring  round  ;  now  our  work  is  done." 

"  I  am  delighted  to  hear  it,  William  ;  for  I  cannot 
bear  your  being  away  so  long." 

"  And  my  work  is  done,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave  ;  "  the 
hedge  and  ditch  were  finished  this  morning."  . 

"  Well,  then,"  observed  Ready,  "  we  must  hold  an- 
other council,  but  I  presume  it  will  not  take  very  long." 

"  No,  I  expect  not ;  it  seldom  does  when  people  are 
of  the  same  mind.  Mrs.  Seagrave  won't  be  left  here, 
Ready,  and  I  don't  want  to  leave  her,  so  I  presume  on 
Monday  we  all  start  home  again." 

"  Yes,  sir,  if  you  please,"  replied  Ready. 

"  Juno,  I  hope  you  have  a  good  supper,"  said  Will- 
iam ;  "  for  I'm  very  hungry." 

"  Yes,  Massa  William ;  plenty  fried  fish ;  massa 
catch  'em  this  morning." 

"  I  like  turtle  soup,"  said  Tommy. 

"  I  believe  you  like  everything,  Master  Tommy," 
replied  Ready,  "  except  castor-oil  beans.  You  won't 
eat  any  more  of  them." 

"  No,  that  I  won't ;  but  I'll  eat  the  bananas  when 
they  are  ripe." 

"  You  would  have  eaten  them  before,  if  you  could 
have  reached  them,  I  think ;  but  you  must  grow  a  little 
taller  first." 

"  I  shall  be  a  man  by  and  by,"  said  Tommy. 

"  I  hope  you  will,  and  a  good  man  too,"  replied  old 
Ready ;  "  but  now  I  must  help  Juno  in  getting  the 
supper  under  way." 


3 72  MASTERMAN  READ  7. 


CHAPTER  LYI. 

THE   WILD   ASS   AND   CAMEL. 

THE  next  day,  being  Sunday,  was  a  day  of  repose, 
and  as  they  had  all  worked  so  hard,  they  felt  the 
luxury  of  a  day  of  rest.  In  the  afternoon  they  agreed 
that  on  Monday  they  should  make  every  preparation 
for  quitting  the  tents,  and  returning  to  the  house  at 
the  bay.  They  decided  that  the  live  stock  should  all 
be  left  there,  as  the  pasturage  was  so  plentiful  and 
good,  with  the  exception  of  one  goat,  which  they  would 
take  back  with  them,  to  supply  them  with  milk ;  and 
they  also  agreed  that  the  tents  should  be  left  standing, 
with  some  cooking  utensils,  that  in  case  William  and 
Ready  went  round  for  the  bananas  or  yams,  or  to  ex- 
amine the  live  stock,  they  should  not  be  compelled  to 
sleep  in  the  open  air,  and  should  have  the  means  of 
dressing  their  dinner.  William  and  Ready  were  to 
carry  the  beds,  etc.,  round  to  the  bay  in  the  boat,  which 
they  could  do  in  two  trips,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave, 
with  the  family,  were  to  walk  through  the  woods, 
after  taking  a  very  early  breakfast. 

All  these  points  being  arranged,  they  had  finished 
their  supper,  when  William  again  brought  up  the  con- 
versation about  animals,  as  he  was  delighted  to  hear 
Mr.  Seagrave  talk  on  the  subject.  The  conversation 
had  not  commenced  more  than  a  few  minutes,  when 
William  said : 


MASTERMAN  READY.  373 

"  Papa,  they  always  say  '  as  stupid  as  an  ass.'  Is  an 
ass  such  a  stupid  animal  ?" 

"  No,  William,  it  is  a  very  sagacious  one ;  but  the 
character  has  been  given  to  the  animal  more  on  ac- 
count of  its  obstinacy  and  untractableness  than  on  any 
other  account.  It  is  usual  to  say  as  stupid  as  an  ass, 
or  as  stupid  as  a  pig,  or  a  goose.  Now,  these  three 
animals  are  very  much  maligned,  for  they  are  all  saga- 
cious animals.  But  the  fact  is  that,  as  regards -the  ass, 
we  have  only  very  sorry  specimens  of  the  animal  in 
England ;  they  are  stunted  and  small,  and,  from  want 
of  corn  and  proper  food,  besides  being  very  ill-treated, 
are  slow  and  dull-looking  animals.  The  climate  of 
England  is  much  too  cold  for  the  ass ;  in  the  south  of 
France  and  the  Mediterranean,  where  it  is  much 
warmer,  the  ass  is  a  much  finer  animal ;  but  to  see  it 
in  perfection  we  must  go  to  the  torrid  zone  in  Guinea, 
right  on  the  equator,  the  hottest  portion  of  the  globe, 
\9  here  the  ass,  in  its  native  state  and  in  its  native 
country,  is  a  handsome  creature,  and  as  fleet  as  the 
wind ;  indeed,  supposed  to  be,  and  mentioned  in  the 
Scriptures  as,  the  fleetest  animal  in  creation.  Xen- 
ophon,  in  his  writings,  says  that  they  chased  the  wild 
asses,  but  that  none  of  the  horses  could  come  up  with 
them.  The  fact  is  that  in  Asia,  especially  in  Palestine 
and  Syria,  asses  were  in  great  repute,  and  used  in  pref- 
erence to  horses.  We  must  see  an  animal  in  its  own 
climate  to  form  a  true  estimate  of  its  value." 

"Does  climate,  then,  make  so  great  a  difference?" 
said  William. 

"  Of  course  it  does,  not  only  with  animals,  but  with 
trees,  plants,  and  even  man,  until  he  is  accustomed  to 
the  change.  The  Lascar,  or  native  seaman  of  India,  is 


374  MA8TERMAN  READY. 

full  of  life  and  vigor  in  the  warm  and  sunny  Indian 
seas,  but  as  soon  as  he  enters  the  English  Channel,  and 
blows  his  fingers  from  the  cold,  he  becomes  inert,  use- 
less, and  timid,  in  fact  a  miserable  creature ;  and  the 
ships  would  often  be  lost  if  it  were  not  for  the  proportion 
of  English  seamen  on  board.  With  respect  to  animals, 
there  are  some  which  can  bear  the  different  varieties 
of  climate,  and  even  change  of  food.  The  horse,  for  in- 
stance, although  originally  indigenous  to  Arabia,  lives 
as  well  in  the  temperate,  and  even  in  the  frigid  zone  it 
may  be  said,  for  they  endure  the  hard  winters  of 
Kussia  and  North  America ;  so  will  domestic  cattle, 
such  as  cows,  sheep,  pigs,  etc.  It  is  a  curious  fact  that 
during  the  winter  in  Canada  a  large  proportion  of  the 
food  of  cattle  consists  offish" 

"  Fish,  papa  ?    Cows  eat  fish  ?" 

"  Yes,  my  dear  boy,  such  is  the  fact.  It  is  a  remark- 
able instance  of  a  graminivorous  or  grass-eating  animal 
being  changed  for  a  time  into  a  carnivorous  or  flesh- 
eating,  or  rather  into  a  piscivorous  or  fish-eating  animal. 
Those  are  hard  words,  William,  derived  from  the 
Latin,  and  I  therefore  explain  them.  But  there  are 
other  animals  which  can  live  under  any  temperature, 
as  the  wolf,  the  fox,  the  hare,  and  rabbit.  It  is  a  curi- 
ous provision — evidently  showing  that  it  was  intended 
they  should  propagate  in  all  climates — that  the  sheep 
and  goats  in  the  hottest  climates  throw  off  their  warm 
covering  of  wool,  and  retain  little  better  than  hair; 
while,  removed  to  a  cold  climate,  they  recover  their 
warm  covering  immediately." 

"But  a  goat  has  no  wool,  papa." 

"What  are  cashmere  shawls  made  of,  William?" 

"  Very  true,  papa." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  375 

"  Most  animals  have  a  certain  increase  of  covering  as 
they  recede  further  from  the  warm  climates  to  the 
cold  ones.  "Wolves  and  foxes,  hares  and  rabbits, 
change  the  color  of  their  skins  to  white  when  they  get 
far  north.  The  little  English  stoat,  which  is  destroyed 
by  the  gamekeepers,  and  nailed  up  against  the  barn, 
becomes  the  beautiful  snow-white  ermine  in  Kussia  and 
other  cold  countries." 

"Well,  papa,  I  think  it  a  great  advantage  to  man, 
and  a  proof  of  the  Almighty's  care  of  him,  and  kindness 
to  him,  in  permitting  all  the  animals  most  useful  to 
him  to  be  able  to  live  in  any  country  ;  but  I  don't  know 
whether  I  am.  wrong  in  saying  so,  papa — I  cannot  see 
why  an  animal  like  the  wolf  should  not  have  been 
kept  to  his  own  climate,  like  the  lion  and  tiger,  and 
other  ferocious  animals." 

"  You  have  started  a  question,  William,  which  I  am 
glad  you  have  done,  rather  than  it  should  have  re- 
mained on  your  mind  and  have  puzzled  you.  It  is  true 
that  the  shepherd  might  agree  with  you,  that  the  wolf 
is  a  nuisance ;  equally  true  that  the  husbandman  may 
exclaim,  What  is  the  good  of  thistles,  and  the  various 
weeds  which  choke  the  soil  ?  But,  my  dear  boy,  if  they 
are  not — which  I  think  they  are — for  the  benefit  of 
man,  at  all  events  they  are  his  doom,  for  the  first 
transgression.  *  Cursed  is  the  ground  for  thy  sake — 
thorns  and  thistles  shall  it  bring  forth  to  thee — and  by 
the  sweat  of  thy  brow  shalt  thou  eat  bread,'  was  the 
Almighty's  sentence ;  and  it  is  only  by  labor  that  the 
husbandman  can  obtain  his  crops,  and  by  watchfulness 
that  the  shepherd  can  guard  his  flocks.  If  it  were 
otherwise,  the  seed  might  be  sown,  and  the  sheep  led 
to  pasture,  and  after  that  the  husbandman  and  shep- 


376  MASTERMAN  READY. 

herd  might  both  sleep.  Labor,  however,  is  in  itself  a 
benefit;  without  exercise  there  would  be  no  health, 
and  without  health  there  would  be  no  enjoyment." 

"  I  see  now,  papa,  and  I  thank  you  for  the  explana- 
tion. You  have  mentioned  the  animals  which  can  live 
in  all  climates ;  will  you  not  tell  us  something  about 
other  animals?" 

"  There  is  but  one  remark  to  make,  William,  which 
is,  that  animals  indigenous  to,  that  is,  originally  to  be 
found  in,  any  one  portion  of  the  globe,  invariably  are 
so  fashioned  as  to  be  most  fit  for  that  country,  and 
have  the  food  also  most  proper  for  them  growing  or 
to  be  obtained  in  that  country.  Take,  for  instance, 
the  camel,  an  animal  fashioned  expressly  for  the 
country  to  which  he  is  indigenous,  and  without  whose 
aid  all  communication  must  have  been  stopped  between 
Asia  and  Africa.  He  is  called  the  '  ship  of  the  desert ;' 
for  the  desert  is  a  '  sea  of  sand.'  His  feet  are  so  fash- 
ioned that  he  can  traverse  the  sands  with  facility  ;  he 
can  live  upon  the  coarsest  vegetable  food  and  salt 
plants  which  are  found  there,  and  he  has  the  capacity 
of  carrying  water  in  a  sort  of  secondary  stomach,  for 
his  own  supply  where  no  water  is  to  be  found.  Here 
is  an  animal  wonderfully  made  by  the  Almighty  for 
an  express  locality,  and  for  the  convenience  of  man  in 
that  country  ;  for,  in  England,  or  elsewhere,  he  would 
be  of  no  value." 

"  There  are  many  animals,  papa,  which  are  of  no  use 
to  man." 

"  Many,  my  dear  boy,  which  are  apparently  so,  and 
many  which  are  destructive  to  him ;  but  that  is  a  por- 
tion of  our  sentence,  and  we  are  permitted  to  extirpate 
and  destroy  them  when  they  endanger  or  incommode 


MASTERMAK  HEADY,  37? 

us — as  we  do  the  thistle  in  the  field.  But  if  they  are 
of  no  use  to  us,  they  add  to  the  variety  and  beauty  of 
nature,  and  show  the  immensity  of  the  Creator.  You 
saw  the  giraffe  before  you  left  England.  Now  that 
animal  is  most  peculiarly  formed.  It  lives  in  its  native 
Africa  upon  the  leaves  and  branches  of  the  mimosa- 
tree,  and  if  it  had  not  such  a  long  neck  and  such  height 
of  shoulder,  it  would  not  be  able  to  reach  its  food. 
The  mimosa-tree  is  not  fed  upon  by  any  other  animal ; 
so  it  would  appear  as  if  this  animal  were  fashioned  on 
purpose  to  live  upon  that  tree.  But  the  animal  and 
the  tree  both  add  to  the  variety  and  to  the  beauty  of 
nature,  and  occupy  a  portion  of  territory  at  present 
not  required  by  man.  The  Almighty  has  filled  the 
earth  with  living  things ;  as  long  as  they  do  not  inter- 
fere with  man,  they  enjoy  their  portion  of  it  in  peace 
and  quiet.  As  soon  as  man  requires  the  territory,  as 
they  were  made  for  his  use  and  to  be  subservient  to 
him,  they  must  retrograde  away  from  him,  or  be  de- 
stroyed by  him.  Such  is  the  will  of  a  great  and  benefi- 
cent Creator.  But  it  is  late,  my  dear  William ;  so 
we  will  first  thank  Him  for  all  His  mercies,  and  then 
to  bed." 


378  MASTERMAN  READ  Y. 


CHAPTER   LYII. 

EEECTING   THE    STOCKADE. 

THE  next  morning  was  one  of  bustle;  there  was 
packing  up  and  every  preparation  for  departure.  Juno 
was  called  here  and  called  there,  and  was  obliged  to 
ask  little  Caroline  to  look  after  the  kettle  and  call  to 
her  if  it  boiled  over.  Master  Tommy,  as  usual,  was  in 
every  one's  way,  and  doing  more  harm  than  good  in 
his  attempts  to  assist ;  but,  however,  as  he  meant  well, 
nobody  scolded  him. 

At  last,  Ready,  to  get  rid  of  him,  sent  him  down 
with  a  large  bundle  to  the  beach.  Tommy  shouldered 
it  with  great  importance,  but  when  he  came  back, 
looking  rather  warm  with  the  exertion,  and  Ready 
asked  him  to  take  down  another,  he  said  he  was  too 
tired,  and  sat  down  very  quietly  till  breakfast-time, 
before  which  everything  was  ready. 

Mrs.  Seagrave  and  Juno  packed  up  the  breakfast 
and  dinner  things  in  a  basket  after  breakfast  was  over, 
and  then  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  family  set 
off  on  their  journey,  accompanied  by  the  dogs,  through 
the  cocoanut  grove.  Little  Albert  could  now  walk 
very  well,  and  only  required  to  be  occasionally  carried 
by  Juno,  who  led  him  by  the  hand.  Caroline  walked 
by  her  papa  and  mamma,  and  Master  Tommy  was  too 
independent  to  walk  with  any  one. 


MASTERMAN  READ  T.  379 

"William  and  Ready  lost  no  time  in  getting  through 
their  work  ;  the  crockery,  kitchen  utensils,  tables,  and 
chairs,  were  the  first  articles  put  into  the  boat.  The 
goat  was  then  led  down,  and  they  set  off  with  a  full 
load,  and  arrived  at  the  bay  long  before  the  party  who 
were  walking  through  the  wood.  They  landed  the 
things  on  the  beach,  and  then  shoved  off  again  to  bring 
round  the  bedding,  which  was  all  that  was  left.  By 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  had  arrived  at  the 
bay  with  their  second  and  last  load,  and  found  that  the 
other  party  had  been  there  about  an  hour,  and  Mr. 
Seagrave  and  Juno  were  very  busy  taking  the  articles 
up  from  the  beach. 

"  Well,  Master  William,"  said  Keady,  "  this  is  our 
last  trip  for  some  time,  I  expect ;  and  so  much  the 
better,  for  our  little  boat  must  have  something  done 
to  her  as  soon  as  I  can  find  time." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  Ready,  she  has  done  her  work  well. 
Do  you  know  I  feel  as  if  I  were  coming  home,  now 
that  we  are  back  to  the  bay.  I  little  thought  that  I 
ever  should  consider  any  part  of  this  island  as  my 
home.  I  really  feel  quite  glad  that  we  have  left  the 
tents.  I  found  the  pigeons  among  the  peas,  Ready ; 
so  we  must  pick  them  as  soon  as  we  can.  They  have 
increased  very  much;  I  think  there  were  near 
twenty  of  them.  We  shall  have  pigeon  pies  next 
year,  I  expect,"  replied  William. 

"  If  it  pleases  God  that  we  live  and  do  well,"  replied 
Ready,  who  had  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  sea. 

Before  night  everything  was  in  its  place  again  in  the 
house,  and  as  comfortable  as  before,  and  as  they  were 
very  tired,  they  went  very  early  to  bed,  having  first 
arranged  what  they  should  do  in  the  morning.  Mrs. 


380  MASTERMAN  READY. 

Seagrave  said  that  she  could  attend  to  the  cookery  and 
the  children,  and  that  Juno  was  at  their  service,  if  they 
required  her.  At  daylight  Eeady  and  William  went 
down  to  the  turtle-pond  and  speared  a  turtle,  for  now 
the  time  was  coming  on  for  turning  the  turtles  again, 
and  the  pond  would  soon  be  filled.  Having  cut  it  up 
and  put  a  portion  of  it  into  the  pot,  all  ready  for  Mrs. 
Seagrave  as  soon  as  breakfast  was  over,  they  proceeded 
to  the  storehouse  in  the  grove. 

After  a  little  consultation  with  Mr.  Seagrave,  Eeady 
marked  out  a  square  of  cocoanut-trees  surrounding  the 
storehouse,  so  as  to  leave  a  space  within  them  of  about 
twenty  yards  each  side,  which  they  considered  large 
enough  for  the  inclosure.  These  cocoanut-trees  were 
to  serve  as  the  posts,  between  which  were  to  be  fixed 
other  cocoanut-trees  cut  down,  and  about  fourteen  feet 
high,  so  as  to  form  a  palisade  or  stockade,  which  could 
not  be  climbed  over,  and  would  protect  them  from  any 
attack  of  the  savages. 

As  soon  as  the  line  of  trees  had  been  marked  out, 
they  set  to  work  cutting  down  all  the  trees  within  the 
line,  and  then  outside  to  a  distance  of  ten  yards,  so  as 
to  give  them  room  for  their  work.  Ready  cut  out 
cross-pieces,  to  nail  from  tree  to  tree,  and  now  they 
found  the  advantage  of  having  saved  so  many  of  the 
large  spike  nails,  without  which  they  never  could  have 
made  so  good  or  so  quick  a  job  of  it.  Mr.  Seagrave 
cut  down  trees,  William  and  Juno  sawed  them  off  at  a 
proper  length  with  one  of  the  cross-cut  saws,  and 
then  carried  them  to  Ready.  They  soon  had  more 
cut  out  than  he  could  use,  and  then  they  dragged 
away  the  tops  and  branches,  and  piled  them  at  a  dis- 
tance on  the  ground,  to  use  as  winter  fuel,  while  Mr. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  381 

Seagrave  helped  Ready  in  fixing  up  the  palisades. 
They  worked  very  hard  that  day,  and  were  not  sorry 
to  go  to  bed.  Ready,  however,  took  an  opportunity 
to  speak  to  William. 

"  I  think,  sir,"  said  he,  "  that  now  we  are  here  again, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  keep  a  sort  of  night-watch,  in 
case  of  accident.  I  shall  not  go  to  bed  till  it  is  quite 
dark,  which  it  will  be  by  nine  o'clock,  and  shall  have 
my  glass  to  examine  the  offing  the  last  thing.  You 
see,  sir,  there  is  little  fear  of  the  savages  coming  here 
in  the  night-time,  but  they  may  just  before  night,  or 
very  early  in  the  morning,  so  one  of  us  must  be  up 
again  before  daybreak,  that  is,  between  two  and  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  see  if  there  is  anything  to 
be  seen  of  them ;  if  there  is  not,  of  course  we  may  go 
to  bed  again,  as  they  cannot  arrive  till  many  hours 
afterward ;  and  we  must  watch  the  wind  and  weather, 
if  it  is  favorable  for  them  to  come  to  us,  which,  indeed, 
the  wind  will  not  be  except  at  the  commencement  of 
the  rainy  season ;  but  it  may  be  very  light,  and  then 
they  would  not  care  for  its  being  against  them.  I've 
been  thinking  of  it,  Master  William,  a  great  deal,  and 
my  idea  is,  that  it  will  be  at  the  beginning  of  the  rainy 
season  that  we  shall  have  a  visit,  if  we  have  one  at  all ; 
for  you  see  that  the  wind  don't  blow  regular  from  one 
quarter,  as  it  does  now,  but  is  variable,  and  then  they 
can  make  sail  in  their  canoes,  and  come  here  easily, 
instead  of  pulling  between  thirty  and  forty  miles, 
which  is  hard  work  against  wind  and  current.  Still, 
Master  William,  we  must  not  be  careless,  and  we  must 
keep  a  good  lookout  even  now.  I  don't  want  to  fret 
your  father  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  with  my  fears  on  the 


382  MASTERMAN  READY. 

subject,  but  I  tell  you  what  I  really  think,  and  what 
we  ought  to  do." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Ready,  and  I  will  take  care  to 
be  up  before  daybreak,  and  e:;c.mine  very  carefully 
with  the  spy-glass,  as  soon  as  the  day  dawns.  You 
take  the  night  part,  and  I  will  do  the  morning  part  of 
the  watching." 

"  Very  well,  Master  William ;  for  the  matter  of 
that,  I  could  do  both  myself,  but  I  think  if  you  were 
to  get  up  in  the  morning  they  would  not  notice  it  so 
much ;  as  for  my  staying  out  at  night,  that  they  are 
accustomed  to." 

After  this  conversation  they  separated,  and  from 
that  time  forward  William  and  Ready  were  continually 
on  the  lookout,  from  dawn  of  day  till  it  was  too  dark 
to  distinguish  anything. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  333 


CHAPTEE  LYIII. 

KEADY'S  DANGER. 

FOR  nearly  a  fortnight  the  work  upon  the  stockade 
continued  without  any  intermission,  when  a  circum- 
stance occurred  which  created  the  greatest  alarm  and 
excitement.  One  day,  as  the  party  returned  to  dinner, 
Mrs.  Seagrave  said  with  surprise,  "Why,  was  not 
Tommy  with  you  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  he  has  not  been  near 
us  all  day ;  he  went  with  us  after  breakfast,  but  did 
not  remain  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

"  No,  missy ;  I  tell  Massa  Tommy  to  help  carry  cocoa- 
nut  leaves,  and  then  he  go  away  directly." 

"  Goodness !  where  can  he  bo  ?"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Seagrave,  alarmed. 

"  I  dare  say  he  is  picking  up  shells  on  the  beach, 
ma'am,"  replied  Ready,  "  or  perhaps  he  is  in  the  gar 
den.  I  will  go  and  see." 

"  I  will  go  with  you,  Ready,"  said  William. 

"  I  see  him — oh,  mercy ! — I  see  him,"  said  Juno, 
pointing  with  her  finger ;  "  he  is  in  the  boat,  and  boat 
go  to  sea." 

It  was  but  too  true :  there  was  Tommy  in  the  boat, 
and  the  boat  had  drifted  from  the  beach,  and  was  now 
a  cable's  length  away  from  it,  among  the  breakers  of 
the  reef. 


384  MA8TERMAN  HEAD7. 

William  ran  off  like  the  wind,  followed  close  by  Mr. 
Seagrave  and  Ready,  and  at  a  distance  by  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  and  Juno,  the  former  dreadfully  alarmed ;  in- 
deed there  was  no  time  to  be  lost,  for  the  wind  was  off 
the  shore,  and  in  a  short  time  the  boat  would  have  been 
out  to  sea. 

William,  as  soon  as  he  arrived  at  the  beach,  threw 
off  his  hat  and  jacket,  and  dashed  into  the  water. 
He  was  already  up  to  his  middle,  when  old  Ready, 
who  had  followed  him,  caught  him  by  the  arm,  and 
said: 

"  Master  William,  go  back  immediately.  I  insist 
upon  it.  Your  going  can  do  no  good,  as  you  do 
not  understand  the  thing  so  well  as  I  do ;  and  go  I 
will ;  so  there  will  be  double  risk  for  nothing.  Mr. 
Seagrave,  order  him  back.  He  will  obey  you.  I  insist 
upon  it,  sir." 

"  William,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  come  back  imme- 
diately, I  command  you." 

William  obeyed ;  but  before  he  was  clear  of  the 
water  old  Ready  had  swam  across  to  the  first  rocks  on 
the  reef,  and  was  now  dashing  through  the  pools  be- 
tween the  rocks,  toward  the  boat. 

"  Oh  father  !"  said  William,  "  if  that  good  old  man 
is  lost  I  shall  never  forgive  myself.  I  almost  feel  as 
if  I  did  wrong  to  obey  you.  Look,  father,  one — two — 
three  sharks  here  close  by  us.  He  has  no  chance.  See, 
he  is  again  in  deep  water.  God  protect  him !  Oh, 
God  !  hear  my  prayer !" 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Seagrave,  whose  wife  was  now 
by  his  side,  and  who  was  shuddering  at  the  scene,  after 
glancing  his  eye  a  moment  at  the  sharks,  which  were 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  beach,  had  kept  his  gaze 


MASTERMAN  READY.  385 

steadily  upon  Ready's  movements.  If  he  passed  through 
the  passage  of  deep  water  between  the  rocks  he  might 
be  considered  safe,  as  the  boat  was  now  beating  on  a 
reef  on  the  other  side,  where  the  water  was  shallow. 
It  was  a  moment  of  intense  anxiety.  At  last  Ready 
had  gained  the  reef,  and  had  his  hands  upon  the  rocks, 
and  was  climbing  on  them. 

"  He  is  safe,  is  he  not  ?"  whispered  Mrs.  Seagrave 
faintly. 

"  Yes,  now  I  think  he  is,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave,  as 
Ready  had  gained  a  footing  on  the  rocks,  where  the 
water  was  but  a  little  above  his  ankles.  "  I  think  there 
is  no  deep  water  between  him  and  the  boat." 

In  another  minute  Ready  was  over  the  rocks  and 
had  seized  the  gunwale  of  the  boat. 

"  He  is  in  the  boat,"  cried  William.    "  Thank  God !" 

"Yes;  we  must  thank  God,  and  that  fervently," 
replied  Mr.  Seagrave.  "  Look  at  those  monsters,"  con- 
tinued he,  pointing  to  the  sharks ;  "  how  quick  they 
swim  to  and  fro !  they  have  scented  their  prey  on  the 
water.  William,  it  is  fortunate  they  are  here :  they 
might  have  been  out  there,  when  Ready  passed  through 
the  deep  water." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  papa.  See,  he  has  the  boathook,  and 
is  pushing  the  boat  off  the  reef  into  the  deep  water. 
Oh !  he  is  quite  safe  now." 

Such,  however,  was  not  the  case.  The  boat  had 
been  beating  on  the  rocks  of  the  reef,  and  had  knocked 
a  hole  in  her  bottom,  and  as  soon  as  Ready  had  forced 
the  boat  into  deep  water,  she  began  to  fill  immediately. 
Ready  pushed  as  hard  as  he  could  with  the  boathook, 
and  tearing  off  his  neckcloth,  forced  as  much  as  he 
could  of  it  into  the  hole.  This  saved  them ;  but  the 


386  MASTERMAN  READY. 

boat  was  up  to  the  thwarts  in  water,  and  the  least 
motion  on  the  part  of  Ready,  or  even  Tommy,  would 
have  upset  her  immediately,  and  they  had  still  to  pass 
the  deep  water  between  the  reef  and  the  beach,  where 
the  sharks  were  swimming.  Ready,  who  perceived  his 
danger,  called  out  to  them  to  throw  large  stones  at  the 
sharks  as  fast  as  they  could,  to  drive  them  away.  This 
was  immediately  done  by  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William, 
aided  by  Juno  and  Mrs.  Seagrave,  who  found  courage 
in  this  present  instance. 

The  pelting  of  the  stones  had  the  desired  effect.  The 
sharks  swam  away,  and  Ready  passed  through  to  the 
beach,  and  the  boat  grounded  just  as  she  was  up  to  the 
gunwale  in  water,  and  about  to  turn  over.  He  handed 
out  Master  Tommy,  who  was  so  dreadfully  frightened 
that  he  could  not  cry,  but  remained  as  pale  as  a  sheet, 
and  his  mouth  and  eyes  wide  open. 

As  soon  as  Ready  landed  William  sprang  into  his 
arms,  crying,  "  Thank  God  you  are  safe,  Ready."  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Seagrave  each  took  his  hand  and  shook  it 
heartily.  At  last  Mrs.  Seagrave,  overpowered  by  her 
feelings,  sank  her  head  upon  William's  shoulder,  and 
burst  into  tears.  Juno,  after  smiling  at  Ready,  took 
Tommy  by  the  hand,  and  led  him  away,  saying, 
"  Come  along,  you  nasty,  naughty  boy.  You  get  fine 
whipping  to-night,  soon  as  all  the  work  is  over." 
Whereupon  Tommy  set  up  a  miserable  howling  which 
he  never  left  off  until  long  after  he  was  in  the  house. 

"  It  was  touch  and  go,  Master  William,"  observed 
Ready,  as  they  walked  up  to  the  house,  preceded  by 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave.  "  How  much  mischief  may 
be  created  by  a  thoughtless  boy  !  However,  one  can't 


MA STERMAN  READ  T.  387 

put  old  heads  on  young  shoulders,  and  so  Master 
Tommy  must  be  forgiven." 

"  He  has  been  punished  enough,  as  far  as  fright 
goes,"  replied  William  ;  "  I'll  answer  for  it,  he'll  never 
get  into  the  boat  again  by  himself." 

"  No,  I  think  not ;  but  now,  Master  William,  you 
saw  how  nearly  I  was  swamped  in  the  boat ;  indeed, 
it  was  only  by  His  mercy  that  I  was  preserved ;  but 
taking  the  question  merely  as  far  as  our  endeavors 
could  help  us,  do  you  think  that  if  you  had  gained  the 
boat  instead  of  me,  you  would  have  brought  her  to  the 
beach  as  I  did  ?" 

"  No,  Ready  ;  for  I  never  should  have  thought  of 
taking  off  my  neckcloth  to  put  into  the  hole,  I'm 
afraid ;  but  even  if  I  had,  I  never  could  have  managed 
her  so  skillfully  as  you  did,  and  therefore  I  must  have 
been  swamped  before  I  got  on  shore." 

"  Well,  Master  William,  as  I  am  an  old  sailor  and 
you  are  not,  therefore  it  is  not  vanity  which  makes  me 
say  that  you  could  not  have  managed  the  boat  so  well 
as  I  did.  Now,  as  I  had  not  three  or  four  seconds  to 
spare,  you,  as  you  say,  must  have  been  swamped.  I 
mention  this  to  prove  to  you  that  I  was  right  in 
desiring  your  father  to  order  you  back." 

"  Certainly,  Ready ;  but  Tommy  is  my  brother,  and 
I  felt  that  it  was  more  my  duty  than  yours  to  risk  my 
life  for  him." 

"A  very  proper  feeling,  Master  William;  but  you 
have  other  duties,  which  are,  to  look  after  your  father 
and  mother,  and  be  a  comfort  and  solace  to  them. 
Your  life  is  more  valuable  than  mine.  I  am  an  old 
man  on  the  brink  of  the  grave,  and  a  year  or  two 
makes  no  difference ;  but  your  life  is,  I  hope,  of  more 


388  MASTERMAN  READY. 

consequence.  What  would  have  been  the  agony  and 
distress,  and,  I  may  say,  continual  source  of  future  re- 
gret to  your  parents,  had  you  perished  before  their 
eyes  by  so  horrible  a  death !  They  never  would  have 
smiled  again." 

"  And  do  you  not  think  that  their  regret  would  have 
been  as  great  if  you  had  perished  in  the  same  way  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know  but  that  at  first  it  would  have  been 
very  painful  to  them,  but  time  would  have  made  them 
forget  it,  and  poor  Tommy,  too,  would  have  been  a 
source  of  deep  sorrow ;  but  to  lose  two  sons,  and  their 
eldest  now  grown  up,  you  may  say,  it  would  have  been 
hard,  very  hard  to  bear,  and  nothing  but  the  sincere 
religion  of  your  parents  could  have  brought  them  to 
submit  with  resignation.  But  here  we  are  at  the 
house,  so  let  us  say  no  more  about  it." 

That  evening  the  prayers  were  more  than  usually 
solemn,  and  the  thanksgivings  more  heartfelt  and 
sincere.  Exhausted  with  the  exciting  scene  of  the  day, 
they  all  retired  early  to  bed. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  339 


CHAPTER  LIX. 

THE     FORTIFIED     HOME. 

WHEN  Tommy  was  questioned  on  the  following 
morning  as  to  his  inducement  to  get  into  the  boat,  to 
their  great  surprise,  he  replied  that  he  wanted  to  go 
round  to  the  tents  again,  to  see  if  the  bananas  were 
ripe ;  that  he  intended  to  eat  some  of  them  and  be 
back  before  dinner-time,  that  he  might  not  be  found 
out. 

"  I  suspect,  Master  Tommy,  you  would  have  been 
very  hungry  before  you  eat  any  bananas  if  we  had  not 
perceived  you,"  said  Eeady. 

"  I  won't  go  into  the  boat  any  more,"  said  Tommy. 

"I  rather  think  you  will  keep  to  that  resolution, 
Tommy,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave;  "however,  I  must 
leave  your  mother  to  point  out  to  you  the  danger  you 
were  in  yourself  and  in  which  you  placed  others  by 
your  folly.  It  is  time  for  us  to  go  to  work." 

The  stockade  was  now  almost  finished  ;  the  door  was 
the  occasion  of  a  good  deal  of  consultation  ;  at  last  it 
was  agreed  that  it  would  be  better  to  have  a  door  of 
stout  oak  plank,  but  with  second  door-posts  inside, 
about  a  foot  apart  from  the  door,  between  which  could 
be  inserted  short  poles  one  above  the  other,  so  as  to 
barricade  it  within  when  required.  This  would  make 
the  door  as  strong  as  any  other  portion  of  the 


390  MASTERMAN  READY. 

stockade.  As  soon  as  this  was  all  complete  the  store- 
house was  to  be  altered  for  a  dwelling-house,  by  taking 
away  the  wattles  of  cocoanut  boughs  on  the  sides,  and 
filling  them  up  with  logs  of  cocoanut-trees. 

Before  the  week  was  ended  the  stockade  and  door 
were  complete,  and  they  now  began  to  fell  trees,  to 
form  the  sides  of  the  house.  This  was  rapid  work  ; 
and  while  Mr.  Seagrave,  William,  and  Juno  felled  the 
trees,  and  brought  them  on  the  wheels  to  the  side  of 
the  stockade,  all  ready  cut  to  their  proper  lengths, 
Ready  was  employed  in  flooring  the  house  with  a  part 
of  the  deal  planks  which  they  had  brought  round  from 
the  cove.  But  this  week  they  were  obliged  to  break 
off  for  two  days,  to  collect  all  their  crops  from  the 
garden ;  as  soon  as  this  was  done  they  again  set  to 
work. 

A  fortnight  more  passed  away  in  continual  hard 
work,  but  the  house  was  at  last  finished,  and  very  com- 
plete, compared  to  the  one  they  were  residing  in.  It 
was  much  larger,  and  divided  into  three  rooms  by  the 
deal  planking ;  the  middle  room  which  the  door 
opened  into  was  the  sitting  and  eating-room,  with  a 
window  behind;  the  two  side  rooms  were  sleeping- 
rooms,  one  for  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  the  children,  and  the 
other  for  the  male  portion  of  the  family.  This  made 
it  much  more  comfortable  and  complete. 

"  See,  Master  William,"  said  Ready,  when  they  were 
alone,  "  what  we  have  been  able  to  do  by  means  of 
those  deal  planks ;  why,  to  have  floored  this  house  and 
run  up  the  partitions  would  have  taken  us  half  a  year, 
if  we  had  had  to  saw  the  wood." 

"  Yes,  and  what  a  comfort  it  is  to  have  so  many 
shelves  about.  When  shall  we  shift  into  this  house  ?" 


MASTERMAN  HEADY.  391 

"  The  sooner  the  better,  Master  William.  We  have 
plenty  of  work  still  to  do,  but  we  can  work  outside  of 
the  stockade." 

"And  what  do  you  propose  to  do  with  the  old 
house  ?"  said  William. 

"  We  had  better  put  some  of  our  stores  of  least  value 
in  it  for  the  present,  until  we  can  fit  up  another  store- 
house inside  the  stockade." 

"  Then  we'll  put  those  casks  in,  for  they  take  up  a 
great  deal  of  room." 

"  All  but  that  large  one,  Master  William ;  we  shall 
want  that ;  I  shall  fix  it  up  in  a  corner." 

"  What  for,  Keady  ?" 

"  To  put  water  in,  Master  William." 

"  But  we  are  closer  to  the  spring  than  we  were  at 
the  other  house." 

"  I  know  that ;  but,  perhaps,  we  may  not  be  able  to 
go  out  of  the  stockade,  and  then  we  shall  want  water." 

"  I  understand,  Ready ;  how  thoughtful  you  are." 

"  If  at  my  age  I  did  not  think  a  little,  Master 
William,  it  would  be  very  odd.  You  don't  know  how 
anxious  I  am  to  see  them  all  inside  of  this  defense, 
William.  I  shall  not  be  happy  until  they  are." 

"  But  why  should  we  not  come  in,  Ready  ?" 

"  Why,  sir,  as  there  is  still  plenty  of  work,  I  do  not 
like  to  press  the  matter,  lest  your  mamma  should  be 
fidgeted,  and  think  there  was  danger ;  but,  Master 
William,  danger  there  is ;  I  have  a  kind  of  forewarn- 
ing of  it.  It  weighs  on  my  mind,  and  I  can't  shake  it 
off.  I  wish  you  would  propose  that  they  should  come 
in  at  once ;  the  standing  bed-places  are  all  ready, 
except  the  canvas,  and  I  shall  nail  on  new  canvas  by 
to-night." 


392  MASTERMAN  READY. 

In  consequence  of  this  conversation,  "William  pro- 
posed at  dinner-time  that  the  next  day  they  should  go 
into  the  new  house,  as  it  was  so  much  more  handy  to 
work  there  and  live  there  at  the  same  time.  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  was  of  the  same  opinion,  but  Mrs.  Seagrave 
thought  it  better  that  everything  should  be  tidy  first. 

"  Why,  ma'am,"  said  Ready,  "  the  only  way  to  get 
things  tidy  is  to  go  yourself,  and  make  them  so. 
Nothing  will  ever  be  in  its  place  unless  you  are  there 
to  put  it  in." 

"  Well,  Ready,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  since  you  are 
against  me  as  well  as  all  the  rest,  I  give  up,  and  if  you 
please  we  will  shift  over  to-morrow." 

" Indeed,  ma'am,  I  think  it  will  be  better;  this  is 
the  last  month  of  fine  weather,  and  we  shall  have 
plenty  to  do.  We  shall  get  on  much  faster  if  we  go 
there." 

"Be  it  so,  Ready ;  you  are  the  best  judge;  to- 
morrow we  will  take  up  our  quarters  in  the  stockade." 

"  Thank  God !"  muttered  old  Ready  very  softly. 
William  only,  who  was  next  to  him,  heard  what  he 
said. 

The  next  day  was  fully  employed  in  changing  their 
residence,  and  shifting  over  the  bedding  and  utensils  ; 
and  that  night  they  slept  within  the  stockade.  Ready 
had  run  up  a  very  neat  little  outhouse  of  plank,  as  a 
kitchen  for  Juno,  and  another  week  was  fully  em- 
ployed as  follows :  the  stores  were  divided ;  those  of 
least  consequence,  and  the  salt  provisions,  flour,  and 
the  garden  produce,  etc.,  were  put  into  the  old  house  ; 
the  casks  of  powder  and  most  of  the  cartridges  were 
also  put  there  for  security ;  but  a  cask  of  beef,  of  pork, 
and  flour,  all  the  ironwork  and  nails,  canvas,  etc., 


MASTERMAN  READY   .  393 

were  stowed  away  for  the  present  under  the  new 
house,  which  had,  when  built  as  a  storehouse,  been 
raised  four  feet  from  the  ground  to  make  a  shelter  for 
the  stock.  This  was  very  spacious,  and,  of  course, 
quite  dry,  and  contained  all  they  wished  to  put  in. 
Ready  also  took  care,  by  degrees,  to  fill  the  large 
water-butt  full  of  water,  and  had  fixed  into  the  bottom 
a  spigot  for  drawing  the  water  off. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Seagrave,"  said  Ready  on  the  Saturday, 
"  we  have  done  a  good  many  hard  weeks'  work  lately  ; 
but  this  is  the  last  of  them.  We  are  now  comfortably 
settled  in  our  new  house;  our  stores  are  all  under 
cover,  and  safe  from  the  weather,  and  so  we  may  now 
take  things  a  little  easier.  William  and  I  must  go  and 
turn  some  turtle  if  we  can,  for  the  season  is  getting 
late  for  them,  and  I  must  repair  the  boat,  so  that  we 
may  take  a  trip  round  to  examine  how  the  stock  and 
yams  get  on." 

"  And  the  bananas  and  the  guavas,"  said  Tommy. 

"Why,  we  have  quite  forgotten  all  about  them," 
observed  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"  Yes,  ma'am  ;  we  have  been  so  busy  that  it  is  no 
wonder  ;  however,  there  may  be  some  left  yet,  and  I 
will  go  round  as  soon  as  the  boat  is  able  to  swim,  and 
bring  all  I  can  find." 

"  We  must  put  our  seeds  and  potatoes  in  before  the 
rainy  season,  Ready." 

"  It  will  be  better,  sir,  if  we  can  find  time,  as  we 
shall  not  have  much  more  fine  weather  now ;  at  all 
events,  we  can  get  them  in  at  intervals  when  the 
weather  is  fine  ;  now  I  shall  go  my  rounds  for  turtle. 
Good-night  ma'am — good-night,  sir.  Come,  Master 
William." 


394  MASTERMAN  READY. 

William  and  Ready  went  down  to  the  beach,  but 
meeting  Juno  coming  from  the  kitchen,  Ready  desired 
her  to  collect  as  much  fuel  as  she  could,  and  stack  it 
up  in  a  corner  inside  of  the  stockade,  as  it  would  be 
more  handy. 

"  Yes,  Massa  Ready,"  replied  Juno ;  "  I  understand  ; 
nothing  like  being  all  ready  case  of  accident." 

"  Exactly  so,  Juno,"  replied  "William.  "  Good- 
night." 

William  and  Ready  succeeded  in  turning  six  more 
turtles  to  add  to  their  stock,  and  having  taken  a  care- 
ful survey  with  the  telescope,  they  came  back,  fastened 
the  door  of  the  stockade,  and  went  to  bed. 


MASTERMA N  READ  Y.  395 


CHAPTEK  LX. 

CANOES     IN     SIGHT. 

ANOTHER  week  passed  away,  during  which  Keady 
repaired  the  boat,  and  William  and  Mr.  Seagrave  were 
employed  in  digging  up  the  garden.  It  was  also  a 
very  busy  week  at  the  house,  as  they  had  not  washed 
linen  for  some  time.  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  Juno,  and 
even  little  Caroline,  were  hard  at  work,  and  Master 
Tommy  was  more  useful  than  ever  he  had  been,  going 
for  the  water  as  they  required  it,  and  watching  little 
Albert.  Indeed,  he  was  so  active  that  Mrs.  Seagrave 
praised  him  before  his  papa,  and  Master  Tommy  was 
quite  proud. 

On  the  Monday,  William  and  Eeady  set  off  in  the 
boat  to  the  little  harbor,  and  found  all  the  stock  doing 
well,  and  promising  to  increase.  Many  of  the  bananas 
and  guavas  had  ripened  and  withered,  but  there  were 
enough  left  to  fill  the  boat  half-full.  The  yams  had 
not  been  broken  in  upon  by  the  pigs,  and  the  tents 
were  in  good  order. 

"  We  cannot  do  better  than  to  leave  the  stock  where 
it  is  at  present,  Master  William  ;  they  can  run  into  the 
cocoanut  grove  for  shelter  if  there  is  a  storm,  and 
there  is  feed  enough  for  ten  times  as  many." 

"  I  think  so  too." 

"  But  in  a  few  days  we  must  come  round  again  for 


396  MASTERMAN  READY. 

the  tents;  we  must  not  leave  them  here  the  whole 
rainy  season.  Now,  sir,  shall  we  go  back  ?" 

"  Yes ;  at  all  events,  Tommy  will  be  delighted  with 
our  cargo.  But  won't  you  dig  up  a  few  yams  first  ?" 

"  I  had  quite  forgotten  it,  Master  William.  I  will 
go  for  the  spade ;  we  left  one  in  the  nearest  tent." 

Having  procured  the  yams,  they  set  off  on  their  re- 
turn. Before  they  arrived  at  the  bay,  the  sky  clouded 
over,  and  threatened  a  storm.  It  did  not,  however, 
rain  till  after  they  had  landed,  when  a  smart  shower 
announced  the  commencement  of  the  rainy  season. 
The  fruit  was  very  welcome  to  all  of  them,  it  was  so 
long  since  they  had  tasted  any;  but  Tommy  was 
ravenous  to  obtain  it ;  he  could  not  eat  it  fast  enough 
to  please  himself,  and  Mr.  Seagrave  was  compelled  to 
prevent  him  from  eating  any  more. 

The  following  day  was  beautifully  fine,  and  every- 
thing appeared  refreshed  by  the  rain  which  had  fallen. 
It  was,  however,  agreed  that  Ready  and  William 
should  go  round  the  next  morning,  bring  home  the 
tents,  and  as  many  yams  as  the  boat  could  carry. 
William  and  Ready  went  out  at  night  as  usual,  when 
Ready  observed  that  the  wind  had  chopped  round  to 
the  eastward. 

"  That  will  be  bad  for  us  to-morrow,  Ready,"  replied 
William.  "  We  may  sail  to  the  harbor,  but  we  shall 
have  to  pull  back  with  the  loaded  boat." 

"  I  trust  it  will  be  no  worse  than  that,  at  all  events," 
replied  Ready  ;  "  but  we  must  now  return  and  go  to 
bed.  I  shall  be  up  by  daylight,  so  you  need  not  wake 
without  you  like." 

"I  can't  help  waking,"  replied  William,  "and  I 
shall,  therefore,  be  up  with  you." 


MASTERMAtf  READY.  397 

"  Very  well,  sir,  I  am  always  glad  of  your  com- 
pany." 

The  next  morning,  just  before  the  day  dawned, 
Keady  and  William  unfastened  the  door  of  the 
stockade,  and  went  down  to  the  beach.  The  wind 
was  still  to  the  eastward,  and  blowing  rather  fresh, 
and  the  sky  was  cloudy.  As  the  sun  rose  Ready,  as 
usual,  had  his  telescope  with  him,  and  looked  through 
it  at  the  offing  to  the  eastward.  As  he  kept  the  spy- 
glass to  his  eye  for  some  time  without  speaking, 
William  said : 

"  Do  you  see  anything,  Eeady,  that  you  look  so  long 
in  that  direction  ?" 

"  Either  my  old  eyes  deceive  me,  or  I  fear  that  I 
do,"  replied  Ready ;  "  but  a  few  moments  more  will 
decide." 

There  was  a  bank  of  clouds  on  the  horizon  to  the 
eastward  ;  but  as  soon  as  the  sun  had  risen  above  them 
Ready,  who  had  the  telescope  fixed  in  the  same  direc- 
tion, said : 

"  Yes,  Master  William,  I  am  right.  I  thought  that 
those  dark  patches  I  saw  were  their  brown  grass 
sails." 

"  Sails  of  what,  Ready  ?"  said  William  hastily. 

"  Of  the  Indian  canoes,  Master  William.  I  knew 
that  they  would  come.  Take  the  glass  and  look  your- 
self, Master  William  ;  my  eye  is  quite  dim  from  strain- 
ing it  so  long." 

"  Yes,  I  have  them  now,"  replied  William,  with  his 
eye  to  the  glass ;  he  at  last  said :  "  Why,  there  are 
twenty  or  thirty  of  them,  Ready,  at  least." 

"  And  each  with  twenty  or  thirty  men  in  them  too, 
Master  William." 


398  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  Good  heavens !  "What  must  we  do,  Eeady  ?  How 
frightened  my  poor  mother  will  be.  I'm  afraid  we  can 
do  nothing  against  such  a  number." 

"  Yes,  William,  we  can  do  a  great  deal,  and  we  must 
do  a  great  deal.  That  there  are  hundreds  of  savages, 
there  is  no  doubt ;  but  recollect  that  we  have  a  stockade, 
which  they  cannot  easily  climb  over,  and  plenty  of  fire- 
arras  and  ammunition,  so  that  we  can  make  a  good 
fight  of  it,  and  perhaps  beat  them  off,  for  they  have 
nothing  but  clubs  and  spears." 

"  How  fast  they  come  down,  Ready !  why,  they  will 
be  here  in  an  hour." 

"  No,  sir,  nor  in  two  hours  either ;  those  are  very 
large  canoes.  However,  there  is  no  time  to  be  lost. 
While  I  watch  them  for  a  few  minutes  till  I  make 
them  more  clearly  out,  do  you  run  up  to  the  house  and 
beckon  your  father  to  come  down  to  me ;  and  then, 
Master  William,  get  all  the  muskets  ready,  and  bring 
the  casks  of  powder  and  of  made-up  cartridges  from  the 
old  house  into  the  stockade.  Call  Juno,  and  she  will 
help  you.  We  shall  have  time  enough  to  do  every- 
thing. After  you  have  done  that  you  had  better  come 
down  and  join  us." 

In  a  very  few  minutes  after  William  ran  up  to  the 
house  Mr.  Seagrave  made  his  appearance. 

"  Ready,  there  is  danger,  I'm  sure ;  William  would 
not  tell  me,  I  presume,  because  he  was  afraid  of  alarm- 
ing his  mother.  What  is  it  ?" 

"  It  is,  Mr.  Seagrave,  that  the  savages  are  now  coming 
down  upon  us  in  large  force ;  perhaps  five  or  six  hun- 
dred of  them ;  and  that  we  shall  have  to  defend  our- 
selves with  all  our  might  and  main." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  399 

"  Do  you  think  we  have  any  chance  against  such  a 
force?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  with  God's  help  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
we  shall  beat  them  off ;  but  we  must  fight  hard,  and 
for  some  days,  I  fear." 

Mr.  Seagrave  examined  the  fleet  of  canoes  with 
the  glass.  "  It  is  indeed  dreadful  odds  to  contend 
against." 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  but  three  muskets  behind  a  stockade  are 
almost  a  match  for  all  their  clubs  and  spears,  provided 
none  of  us  are  wounded." 

"  Well,  Ready,  we  must  put  our  trust  in  the  Lord, 
and  do  our  best ;  I  will  second  you  to  the  utmost  of 
my  power,  and  William,  I'm  sure,  will  do  his  duty.  I 
have,  indeed,  much  to  fight  for,  a  wife  and  family ;  but 
you,  Ready,  have  no  such  ties." 

"  No,  sir ;  but  I  shall  fight  for  my  life,  which, 
although  not  worth  much,  I  do  not  wish  to  lose  by 
their  hands ;  and  I  shall  fight  for  you  and  the  family 
too,  sir ;  for  I  am  attached  to  you  all,  and  there's  an 
end  of  the  business.  I  think,  sir,  we  had  better  not 
wait  here  any  more,  as  we  have  not  long  to  prepare 
for  them.  We  have  only  to  fix  up  some  of  our  strong 
deal  planks  on  the  inside  of  the  stockade  for  us  to 
stand  upon  when  we  are  attacked,  that  we  may  see 
what  the  enemy  is  about,  and  be  able  to  fire  upon 
them.  But  first  we  had  better  go  to  the  old  house, 
and  take  out  what  provisions  and  other  articles  we 
shall  most  want,  and  roll  the  casks  into  the  stockade, 
for  to  the  old  house  they  will  go  first,  and  perhaps 
destroy  everything  in  it.  The  casks  they  certainly 
will,  for  the  sake  of  the  iron  hoops.  An  hour's  work 
will  do  a  great  deal,  for  the  distance  is  not  very  great. 


400  MASTERMAN  KEADT. 

I  believe  we  have  everything  we  want  in  the  stockade ; 
Juno  has  her  fuel,  the  large  butt  of  water  will  last  us 
two  or  three  weeks  at  least,  and  if  we  have  time  we 
will  get  the  wheels  down,  and  spear  a  couple  of  turtles 
for  fresh  provisions." 

"We  hardly  need  think  of  turtle  just  now,  Eeady." 

"  Why  not,  sir  ?  It's  just  as  well  to  have  them  as  to 
leave  them  for  the  savages  to  eat  for  us.  I  will  get 
all  up  I  can,  even  if  we  do  not  eat  them ;  they  will  live 
for  weeks  on  their  backs  in  the  shade." 

This  conversation  passed  as  they  walked  up  to  the 
house.  As  soon  as  they  arrived  they  found  William 
and  Juno  had  just  brought  in  the  powder  and  car- 
tridges. Mr.  Seagrave  went  in  to  break  the  matter  to 
his  wife,  who,  he  feared,  would  be  much  alarmed. 

"  I  was  told  that  I  had  to  expect  this,  ray  dear,"  re- 
plied Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  so  that  it  has  not  come  upon  me 
altogether  unawares ;  and  anything  that  a  poor,  weak 
woman  can  do  I  will.  I  feel  that  I  have  no  want  of 
courage  to  defend  my  children." 

"  I  am  indeed  greatly  relieved,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave, 
"  by  finding  you  thus  prepared  and  supported.  I  shall 
feel  no  anxiety — but  we  have  work  to  be  done." 

"  Then  I  must  help,  my  dear  Seagrave ;  and  what  I 
want  in  strength  I  must  make  up  in  energy." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  then  joined  William,  Ready, 
and  Juno,  who  had  already  proceeded  to  the  old  house. 
The  children  were  all  still  in  bed  and  asleep,  so  that 
there  was  no  occasion  for  any  one  to  watch  them. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  401 


CHAPTER  LXI. 

THE     SAVAGES     LAND. 

As  they  could  have  a  very  good  view  of  the  canoes 
from  where  the  old  house  stood,  Keady  examined  them 
with  his  glass  every  time  that  he  returned  from  rolling 
up  a  cask  to  the  stockade.  Every  one  worked  hard ; 
even  Mrs.  Seagrave  did  all  she  could,  either  assisting 
in  rolling  the  casks,  or  carrying  up  what  she  was  able 
to  lift.  In  an  hour  they  had  got  into  the  stockade  all 
that  they  most  cared  for,  and  the  canoes  were  still 
about  six  or  seven  miles  off. 

"  We  have  a  good  hour  before  they  arrive,  sir,"  said 
Ready,  "and  even  then  the  reefs  will  puzzle,  them  not 
a  little ;  I  doubt  if  they  are  disembarked  under  two 
hours.  We  have  plenty  of  time  for  all  we  wish  to  do. 
Juno,  go  for  the  wheels,  and,  William,  come  down  with 
the  spear,  and  we  will  have  some  of  the  turtles  into  the 
stockade.  Mr.  Seagrave,  I  do  not  require  your  assist- 
ance, so  if  you  will  have  the  kindness  to  get  out  the 
muskets,  and  examine  the  flints,  it  will  be  as  well." 

"  Yes,  and  then  you  have  to  load  them,"  replied  Mrs. 
Seagrave.  "  Juno  and  I  can  do  that,  at  all  events, 
ready  for  you  to  fire  them." 

"  An  excellent  idea,  madam,"  replied  Ready ;  "  and 
you  will  really  be  of  service." 


402  MASTERMAN  READY. 

In  half  an  hour  six  turtles  were  brought  up  by  Juno 
and  "William,  and  then  Keady  followed  them  into  the 
stockade.  "  I  don't  see  the  goat,  Master  William,"  said 
Ready ;  "  but  as  we  have  no  food  for  her  I  think  we 
may  as  well  leave  her  out ;  she  will  run  away  when  she 
sees  such  strange  creatures  as  these  savages." 

They  then  rolled  the  casks  and  upheaded  them  by 
the  sides  of  the  stockade,  and  fixed  up  deal  planks  to 
stand  upon,  just  high  enough  to  enable  them  to  see 
over  the  top  of  the  palisades,  and  to  fire  at  the  enemy. 
Mrs.  Seagrave  had  been  shown  how  to  load  a  musket, 
and  Juno  was  now  taught  the  same. 

"Now,  sir,  we  are  all  prepared,"  said  old  Ready, 
"  and  madam  and  Juno  can  go  and  look  a  little  after 
the  children,  and  get  breakfast." 

"  Breakfast  all  ready.  Kettle  boil  long  time,"  said 
Juno. 

As  soon  as  the  children  were  dressed  Mr.  Seagrave 
called  Ready,  who  was  outside,  watching  the  canoes, 
and  they  went  to  their  morning  devotions  and  prayed 
heartily  for  succor  in  this  time  of  need.  They  then 
breakfasted  in  haste ;  for,  as  may  be  supposed,  they 
were  almost  too  anxious  to  eat.  Mrs.  Seagrave  pressed 
her  children  in  her  arms,  but  kept  up  her  spirits  won- 
derfully. 

"  This  suspense  is  worse  than  all,"  said  she  at  last. 
"  I  wish  now  that  they  were  come." 

"  Shall  I  go  to  Ready,  and  hear  his  report,  my  dear  ? 
I  will  not  be  away  three  minutes." 

In  a  short  time  Mr.  Seagrave  returned,  saying  that 
the  canoes  were  close  to  the  beach,  that  the  savages 
evidently  had  a  knowledge  of  the  passages  through  the 
reefs,  as  they  had  steered  right  in,  and  had  lowered 


MASTERMAN  READY.  403 

their  sails ;  that  Heady  and  William  were  on  the  look 
out,  but  concealed  behind  the  cocoanut-trees. 

"  I  hope  they  will  not  stay  out  too  long." 

"  No  fear  of  that,  my  dear  Selina ;  but  they  had  bet- 
ter watch  their  motions  to  the  last  minute." 

During  this  conversation  between  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave,  within  the  stockade,  William  and  Keady  were 
watching  the  motions  of  the  savages,  a  large  portion 
of  whom  had  landed  out  of  ten  of  the  canoes,  and  the 
others  were  following  their  example  as  fast  as  they 
could,  forcing  their  way  through  the  reefs.  The  sav- 
ages were  all  painted,  with  their  war-cloaks  and  feath- 
ers on,  and  armed  with  spears  and  clubs,  evidently 
having  come  with  no  peaceable  intentions.  At  first 
they  occupied  themselves  with  beaching  the  canoes, 
and  as  they  were  very  large  and  heavy  this  was  a  w«ork 
of  some  few  minutes'  employment  for  the  whole  of 
them. 

William,  who  had  taken  the  telescope  to  examine 
them  more  minutely,  said  to  Ready  :  "  What  a  fierce, 
cruel  set  of  wretches  they  appear  to  be  ;  if  they  over- 
power us  they  will  certainly  kill  us." 

"  Of  that  there  is  no  doubt,  Master  William ;  but 
we  must  fight  hard,  and  not  let  them  overpower  us. 
Kill  us  they  certainly  will,  and  I  am  not  sure  that  they 
may  not  eat  us  afterward ;  but  that  is  of  little  conse- 
quence." 

William  shuddered  at  the  idea,  and  then  replied,  in 
a  determined  tone :  "  I'll  fight  as  long  as  I  have  breath 
in  my  body ;  but,  Ready,  they  are  coming  up  as  fast  as 
they  can." 

"  Yes,  sir,  right  up  to  the  old  house ;  we  must  wait 
no  longer.  Come,  Master  William." 


404  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  I  thought  I  saw  another  vessel  under  sail,  and 
away  by  the  garden  point,  Ready,  just  as  we  turned 
away." 

"  Yery  likely,  sir,  a  canoe  which  has  separated  from 
the  others  during  the  night.  Come,  quick,  Master 
William,  they  have  begun  to  yell." 

Another  half-minute  and  they  arrived  at  the  door 
of  the  stockade ;  they  entered,  shut  the  door,  and  then 
barricaded  it  with  the  cocoanut  poles  which  they  had 
fitted  to  the  inner  door-posts. 

"  That  is  secure  enough,"  observed  Ready,  "  and 
now  we  must  trust  to  Heaven  and  our  own  exertions." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  405 


CHAPTER  LXII. 

DEFENSE  OF  THE  STOCKADE. 

THE  loud  yells  of  the  savages  struck  terror  into  the 
heart  of  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  it  was  well  that  she  had  not 
seen  their  painted  bodies  and  fierce  appearance,  or  she 
would  have  been  much  more  alarmed.  Little  Albert 
and  Caroline  clung  round  her  neck  with  terror  in  their 
faces ;  they  did  not  cry,  but  looked  round  and  round 
to  see  from  whence  the  horrid  noise  proceeded,  and 
then  clung  faster  to  their  mother.  Master  Tommy 
was  very  busy  finishing  all  the  breakfast  which  had 
been  left,  for  there  was  no  one  to  check  him  as  usual ; 
Juno  was  busy  outside,  and  was  very  active  and 
courageous.  Mr.  Seagrave  had  been  employed  making 
the  holes  between  the  palisades  large  enough  to  admit 
the  barrels  of  the  muskets,  so  that  they  could  fire  at 
the  savages  without  being  exposed;  while  William 
and  Ready,  with  their  muskets  loaded,  were  on  the 
lookout  for  their  approach. 

"  They  are  busy  with  the  old  house  just  now,  sir," 
observed  Ready,  "  but  that  won't  detain  them  long." 

"  Here  they  come,"  replied  William ;  "  and  look, 
Ready,  is  not  that  one  of  the  woman  who  escaped  from 
us  in  the  canoe,  who  is  walking  along  with  the  first 
two  men?  Yes,  it  is,  I  am  sure." 

"  You  are  right,  Master  William ;  it  is  one  of  them. 


406  MASTERMAN  READY. 

Ah!  they  have  stopped;  they  did  not  expect  the 
stockade,  that  is  clear,  and  it  has  puzzled  them ;  see 
how  they  are  all  crowding  together  and  talking  ;  they 
are  holding  a  council  of  war  how  to  proceed ;  that  tall 
man  must  be  one  of  their  chiefs.  Now,  Master  Will- 
iam, although  I  intend  to  fight  as  hard  as  I  can,  yet  I 
always  feel  a  dislike  to  begin  4first ;  I  shall  therefore 
show  myself  over  the  palisades,  and  if  they  attack  me, 
I  shall  then  fire  with  a  quiet  conscience." 

"  But  take  care  they  don't  hit  you,  Ready." 

"  No  great  fear  of  that,  Master  "William.  Here  they 
come !" 

Ready  now  stood  upon  the  plank  within,  so  as  to 
show  himself  to  the  savages,  who  gave  a  tremendous 
yell,  and,  as  they  advanced,  a  dozen  spears  were  thrown 
at  him  with  so  true  an  aim  that,  had  he  not  instantly 
dodged  behind  the  stockade,  he  must  have  been  killed. 
Three  or  four  spears  remained  quivering  in  the  pali- 
sades, just  below  the  top  ;  the  others  went  over  it,  and 
fell  down  inside  of  the  stockade,  at  the  further  end. 

"  Now,  Master  "William,  take  good  aim  ;"  but  before 
"William  could  fire  Mr.  Seagrave,  who  had  agreed  to 
be  stationed  at  the  corner,  so  that  he  might  see  if  the 
savages  went  round  to  the  other  side,  fired  his  musket, 
and  the  tall  chief  fell  to  the  ground. 

Ready  and  William  also  fired,  and  two  more  of  the 
savages  were  seen  to  drop,  amid  the  yells  of  their  com- 
panions. Juno  handed  up  the  other  muskets  which 
were  ready  loaded,  and  took  those  discharged,  and  Mrs. 
Seagrave,  having  desired  Caroline  to  take  care  of  her 
little  brother,  and  Tommy  to  be  very  quiet  and  good, 
came  out,  turned  the  key  of  the  door  upon  them,  and 
hastened  to  assist)  Juno  in  reloading  the  muskets. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  40? 

The  spears  now  rushed  through  the  air,  and  it  was 
well  that  they  could  fire  from  the  stockade  without  ex- 
posing their  persons,  or  they  would  have  had  but  little 
chance.  The  yells  increased,  and  the  savages  now  be- 
gan to  attack  on  every  quarter ;  the  most  active,  who 
climbed  like  cats,  actually  succeeded  in  gaining  the 
top  of  the  palisades,  but  as  soon  as  their  heads  ap- 
peared above,  they  were  fired  at  with  so  true  an  aim 
that  they  dropped  down  dead  outside.  This  combat 
lasted  for  more  than  an  hour,  when  the  savages,  having 
lost  a  great  many  men,  drew  off  from  the  assault,  and 
the  parties  within  the  stockade  had  time  to  breathe. 

"  They  have  not  gained  much  in  this  bout,  at  all 
events,"  said  Keady  ;  "  it  was  well  fought  on  our  side, 
and,  Master  William,  you  certainly  behaved  as  if  you 
had  been  brought  up  to  it ;  I  don't  think  you  ever  missed 
your  man  once." 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  go  away  now  ?"  said  Mrs. 
Seagrave. 

"  Oh,  no,  madam,  not  yet ;  they  will  try  us  every 
way  before  they  leave  us.  You  see  these  are  very 
brave  men,  and  it  is  clear  that  they  know  what  gun- 
powder is,  or  they  would  have  been  more  astonished." 

"  I  should  think  so  too,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  the 
first  time  that  savages  hear  the  report  of  firearms  they 
are  usually  thrown  into  great  consternation." 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  but  such  has  not  been  the  case  with  these 
people,  and  therefore  I  reckon  it  is  not  the  first  time 
that  they  have  fought  with  Europeans." 

"  Are  they  all  gone,  Eeady  ?"  said  William,  who  had 
come  down  from  the  plank  to  his  mother. 

"  No,  sir ;  I  see  them  between  the  trees  now ;  they 


408  MASTERMAN  READY. 

are  sitting  round  in  a  circle,  and,  I  suppose,  making 
speeches  ;  it's  the  custom  of  these  people." 

"  Well,  I'm  very  thirsty,  at  all  events,"  said  William. 
"  Juno,  bring  me  a  little  water." 

Juno  went  to  the  water-tub  to  comply  with  Will- 
,iam's  request,  and  in  a  few  minutes  afterward  came 
back  in  great  consternation.  + 

"  Oh,  massa !  oh,  missy  !  no  water ;  water  all  gone  !" 

"  Water  all  gone !"  cried  Eeady,  and  all  of  them,  in 
a  breath. 

"  Yes ;  not  one  little  drop  in  the  cask." 

"  I  filled  it  up  to  the  top  !"  exclaimed  Ready  very 
gravely ;  "  the  tub  did  not  leak,  that  I  am  sure  of ;  how 
can  this  have  happened  ?" 

"  Missy,  I  think  I  know,"  said  Juno ;  "  you  remem- 
ber you  send  Massa  Tommy,  the  two  or  three  days 
we  wash,  to  fetch  water  from  well  in  little  bucket. 
You  know  how  soon  he  come  back,  and  how  you 
say  what  good  boy  he  was,  and  how  you  tell  Massa 
Seagrave  when  he  come  to  dinner.  Now,  missy,  I 
quite  certain  Massa  Tommy  no  take  trouble  go  to 
well,  but  fetch  water  from  tub  all  the  while,  and  so  he 
empty  it." 

"  I'm  afraid  you're  right,  Juno,"  replied  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave.  "  What  shall  we  do  ?" 

"  I  go  speak  Massa  Tommy,"  said  Juno,  running  to 
the  house. 

"  This  is  a  very  awkward  thing,  Mr.  Seagrave,"  ob- 
served Ready  gravely. 

Mr.  Seagrave  shook  his  head. 

The  fact  was,  that  they  all  perceived  the  danger  of 
their  position  ;  if  the  savages  did  not  leave  the  island, 
they  would  perish  of  thirst  or  have  to  surrender ;  and 


MASTERMAN  HEADY.  409 

in  the  latter  case  all  their  lives  would  most  certainly 
be  sacrificed. 

Juno  now  returned;  her  suspicions  were  but  too 
true.  Tommy,  pleased  with  the  praise  of  being  so 
quick  in  bringing  the  water,  had  taken  out  the  spigot 
of  the  cask,  and  drawn  it  all  off.  He  was  now  crying, 
and  promising  not  to  take  the  water  again. 

"  His  promises  come  too  late,"  observed  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  ;  "  well,  it  is  the  will  of  Heaven  that  all  our  care- 
ful arrangements  and  preparations  against  this  attack 
should  be  defeated  by  the  idleness  of  a  child,  and  we 
must  submit." 

"  Very  true,  sir,"  replied  Eeady ;  "  all  our  hopes 
now  are  that  the  savages  may  be  tired  out,  and  leave 
the  island." 

"  If  I  had  but  a  little  for  the  children,  I  should  not 
care,"  observed  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  "  but  to  see  these 
poor  things  suffer — is  there  not  a  drop  left,  Juno,  any- 
where?" 

Juno  shook  her  head.  "  All  gone,  missy ;  none 
nowhere." 

Mrs.  Seagrave  said  she  would  go  and  examine,  and 
went  away  into  the  house,  accompanied  by  Juno. 

"  This  is  a  very  bad  business,  Ready,"  observed  Mr. 
Seagrave.  "  What  would  we  give  for  a  shower  of  rain 
now,  that  we  might  catch  the  falling  drops  ?" 

"  There  are  no  signs  of  it,  sir,"  replied  Keady  ;  "  we 
must,  however,  put  our  confidence  in  One  who  will  not 
forsake  us." 

"  I  wish  the  savages  would  come  on  again,"  observed 
William ;  "  for  the  sooner  they  come,  the  sooner  the 
affair  will  be  decided." 

"I   doubt  if  they  will  to-day,  sir;   at  night-time 


410  MASTERMAN  READY. 

I  think  it  very  probable,  and  I  fear  the  night  attack 
more  than  the  day.  "We  must  make  preparations 
for  it." 

"  Why,  what  can  we  do,  Ready  ?" 

"  In  the  first  place,  sir,  by  nailing  planks  from  cocoa- 
nut-tree  to  cocoanut-tree  above  the  present  stockade, 
we  may  make  a  great  portion  of  it  much  higher,  and 
more  difficult  to  climb  over.  Some  of  them  were 
nearly  in  this  time.  If  we  do  that  we  shall  not  have 
so  large  a  space  to  watch  over  and  defend  ;  and  then 
we  must  contrive  to  have  a  large  fire  ready  for  light- 
ing, that  we  may  not  have  to  fight  altogether  in  the 
dark.  It  will  give  them  some  advantage  in  looking 
through  the  palisades,  and  seeing  where  we  are,  but 
they  cannot  well  drive  their  spears  through,  so  it  is  no 
great  matter.  We  must  make  the  fire  in  the  center  of 
the  stockade,  and  have  plenty  of  tar  in  it,  to  make  it 
burn  bright ;  and  we  must  not,  of  course,  light  it  until 
after  we  are  attacked.  We  shall  then  see  where  they 
are  trying  for  an  entrance,  and  where  to  aim  with  our 
muskets." 

"  The  idea  is  very  good,  Ready,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
"if  it  had  not  been  for  this  unfortunate  want  of  water 
I  really  should  be  sanguine  of  beating  them  off." 

"  We  may  suffer  very  much,  Mr.  Seagrave,  I  have  no 
doubt ;  but  who  knows  what  the  morrow  may  bring 
forth?" 

"  True,  Ready.     Do  you  see  the  savages  now  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  they  have  left  the  spot  where  they  were 
in  consultation,  and  I  do  not  even  hear  them ;  I  sup- 
pose they  are  busy  with  their  wounded  and  their  dead." 

As  Ready  had  supposed,  no  further  attack  was  made 
by  the  savages  on  that  day,  and  he,  William  and  Mr. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  411 

Seagrave  were  very  busy  making  their  arrangements ; 
they  nailed  the  planks  on  the  trunks  of  the  trees  above 
the  stockade,  so  as  to  make  three  sides  of  the  stockade 
at  least  five  feet  higher  and  almost  impossible  to  climb 
up ;  and  they  prepared  a  large  fire  in  a  tar-barrel  full 
of  cocoanut  leaves  mixed  with  wood  and  tar,  so  as  to 
burn  fiercely.  Dinner  or  supper  they  had  none,  for 
there  was  nothing  but  salt  pork  and  beef  and  live 
turtle,  and,  by  Ready's  advice,  they  did  not  eat,  as  it 
would  only  increase  their  desire  to  drink. 

The  poor  children  suffered  much ;  little  Albert  wailed 
and  cried  for  "water,  water;"  Caroline  knew  that 
there  was  none,  and  was  quiet,  poor  little  girl,  although 
she  suffered  much ;  as  for  Tommy,  the  author  of  all 
this  misery,  he  was  the  most  impatient,  and  roared  for 
some  time,  till  William,  quite  angry  at>  his  behavior, 
gave  him  a  smart  box  on  the  ear,  and  he  reduced  his 
roar  to  a  whimper,  from  fear  of  receiving  another. 
Ready  remained  on  the  lookout;  indeed,  everything 
was  so  miserable  inside  of  the  house  that  they  were  all 
glad  to  go  out  of  it ;  they  could  do  no  good,  and  poor 
Mrs.  Seagrave  had  a  difficult  and  most  painful  task  to 
keep  the  children  quiet  under  such  severe  privation,  for 
the  weather  was  still  warm  and  sultry. 


412  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEK  LXIIL 

THE     NIGHT     ATTACK. 

BUT  the  moaning  of  the  children  was  very  soon  after 
dusk  drowned  by  the  yells  of  the  savages,  who,  as 
Eeady  had  prognosticated,  now  advanced  to  the  night 
attack. 

Every  part  of  the  stockade  was  at  once  assailed,  and 
their  attempts  now  made  were  to  climb  into  it ;  a  few 
spears  were  occasionally  thrown,  but  it  was  evident 
that  the  object  was  to  obtain  an  entrance  by  dint  of 
numbers.  It  was  well  that  Ready  had  taken  the  pre- 
caution of  nailing  the  deal  planks  above  the  original 
stockade,  or  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  savages 
would  have  gained  their  object ;  as  it  was,  before  the 
flames  of  the  fire  which  Juno  had  lighted  by  Ready's 
order  gave  them  sufficient  light,  three  or  four  savages 
had  climbed  up  and  had  been  shot  by  William  and  Mr. 
Seagrave,  as  they  were  on  the  top  of  the  stockade. 

When  the  fire  burned  brightly  the  savages  outside 
were  easily  aimed  at,  and  a  great  many  fell  in  their 
attempts  to  get  over.  The  attack  continued  more  than 
an  hour,  when  at  last,  satisfied  that  they  could  not  suc- 
ceed, the  savages  once  more  withdrew,  carrying  with 
them,  as  before,  their  dead  and  wounded. 

"  I  trust  that  they  will  now  re-embark,  and  leave  the 
island,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave  to  Ready. 


MA8TERMAN  R  EAD  T  413 

"  I  only  wish  they  may,  sir ;  it  is  not  at  all  impossible ; 
but  there  is  no  saying.  I  have  been  thinking,  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  that  we  might  be  able  to  ascertain  their  move- 
ments by  making  a  lookout.  You  see,  sir,  that  cocoa- 
nut-tree,"  continued  Eeady,  pointing  to  one  of  those 
to  which  the  palisades  were  fastened,  "  is  much  taller 
than  any  of  the  others ;  now,  by  driving  spike-nails 
into  the  trunk  at  about  a  foot  apart,  we  might  ascend 
it  with  ease,  and  it  would  command  a  view  of  the 
whole  bay ;  we  then  could  know  what  the  enemy  were 
about." 

"  Yes,  that  is  very  true ;  but  will  not  any  one  be 
very  much  exposed  if  he  climbs  up  ?" 

"  No,  sir,  for  you  see  the  cocoanut-trees  are  cut  down 
clear  of  the  palisades  to  such  a  distance  that  no  savage 
could  come  at  all  near  without  being  seen  by  any  one 
on  the  lookout,  and  giving  us  sufficient  time  to  get 
down  again  before  he  could  use  his  spear." 

"  I  believe  that  you  are  right  there,  Ready,  but,  at 
all  events,  I  would  not  attempt  to  do  it  before  daylight, 
as  there  may  be  some  of  them  still  lurking  underneath 
the  stockade." 

"  Certainly,  there  may  be,  sir,  and  therefore,  until 
daylight,  we  will  not  begin.  Fortunately,  we  have 
plenty  of  spike-nails  left." 

Mr.  Seagrave  then  went  into  the  house;  Ready 
desired  William  to  lie  down  and  sleep  for  two  or  three 
hours,  as  he  would  watch.  In  the  morning,  when  Mr. 
Seagrave  came  out,  he  would  have  a  little  sleep  him- 
self. 

"  I  can't  sleep,  Ready.  I'm  mad  with  thirst,"  replied 
William. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  it's  very  painful— I  feel  it  myself  very 


414  MASTERMAN  READY. 

much,  but  what  must  those  poor  children  feel  ?  I  pity 
them  most." 

"  I  pity  my  mother  most,  Keady,"  replied  William  ; 
"  it  must  be  agony  to  her  to  witness  their  sufferings, 
and  not  be  able  to  relieve  them." 

"  Yes,  indeed,  it  must  be  terrible,  Master  "William, 
to  a  mother's  feelings  ;  but  perhaps  these  savages  will 
be  off  to-morrow,  and  then  we  shall  forget  all  our 
privations." 

"  I  trust  in  God  that  they  may,  Ready ;  but  they 
seem  very  determined." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  iron  is  gold  to  them ;  and  what  will 
civilized  men  not  do  for  gold  ?  Come,  Master  William, 
lie  down  at  all  events,  even  if  you  cannot  sleep." 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Seagrave  had  gone  into  the 
house.  He  found  the  children  still  crying  for  water, 
notwithstanding  the  coaxing  and  soothing  of  Mrs. 
Seagrave,  who  was  shedding  tears  as  she  hung  over 
poor  little  Albert.  Juno  had  gone  out  and  had  dug 
with  a  spade  as  deep  as  she  could,  with  a  faint  hope 
that  some  might  be  found,  but  in  vain,  and  she  had 
just  returned  mournful  and  disconsolate.  There  was 
no  help  for  it  but  patience;  and  patience  could  not  be 
expected  in  children  so  young.  Little  Caroline  only 
drooped,  and  said  nothing.  Mr.  Seagrave  remained 
for  two  or  three  hours  with  his  wife,  assisting  her  in 
pacifying  the  children,  and  soothing  her  to  the  utmost 
of  his  power ;  at  last  he  went  out  and  found  old  Ready 
on  the  watch. 

"  Ready,  I  had  rather  a  hundred  times  be  attacked 
by  these  savages,  and  have  to  defend  this  place  than 
be  in  that  house  for  even  five  minutes  and  witness  the 
sufferings  of  my  wife  and  children." 


MASTERMA N  READ  T.  415 

"  I  do  not  doubt  it,  sir,"  replied  Ready  ;  "  but  cheer 
up,  and  let  us  hope  for  the  best ;  I  think  it  very 
probable  that  the  savages  after  this  second  defeat  will 
leave  the  island." 

"  I  wish  I  could  think  so,  Keady  ;  it  would  make  me 
very  happy ;  but  I  have  come  out  to  take  the  watch, 
Ready.  Will  you  not  sleep  for  awhile  ?" 

"  I  will,  sir,  if  you  please,  take  a  little  sleep.  Call 
me  in  two  hours ;  it  will  then  be  daylight,  and  I  can 
go  to  work,  and  you  can  get  some  repose  yourself." 

"  I  am  too  anxious  to  sleep  ;  I  think  so,  at  least." 

"  Master  William  said  he  was  too  thirsty  to  sleep, 
sir ;  but,  poor  fellow,  he  is  now  fast  enough." 

"  I  trust  that  boy  will  be  spared,  Ready." 

"  I  hope  so  too,  for  he  is  a  noble  fellow ;  but  we  are 
all  in  the  hands  of  the  Almighty.  Good-night,  sir." 

"  Good-night,  Ready." 

Mr.  Seagrave  took  his  station  on  the  plank,  and  was 
left  to  his  own  reflections ;  that  they  were  not  of  the 
most  pleasant  kind  may  easily  be  imagined.  He  had, 
however,  been  well  schooled  by  adversity,  and  had 
lately  brought  himself  to  such  a  frame  of  mind  as  to 
bow  in  submission  to  the  will  of  Heaven,  whatever  it 
might  be.  He  prayed  earnestly  and  fervently  that 
they  might  be  delivered  from  the  danger  and  suffer- 
ings which  threatened  them,  and  became  calm  and 
tranquil ;  prepared  for  the  worst,  if  the  worst  was  to 
happen,  and  confidently  placing  himself  and  his  family 
under  the  care  of  Him  who  orders  all  as  He  thinks 
best. 

At  daylight  Ready  woke  up  and  relieved  Mr.  Sea- 
grave,  who  did  not  return  to  the  house,  but  lay  down 
on  the  cocoanut  boughs,  where  Ready  had  been  lying 


416  MASTERMAN  READT. 

by  the  side  of  William.  As  soon  as  Ready  had  got 
out  the  spike-nails  and  hammer,  he  summoned  William 
to  his  assistance,  and  they  commenced  driving  them 
into  the  cocoanut-tree,  one  looking  out  in  case  of  the 
savages  approaching,  while  the  other  was  at  work.  In 
less  than  an  hour  they  had  gained  the  top  of  the  tree 
close  to  the  boughs,  and  had  a  very  commanding  view 
of  the  bay,  as  well  as  inland.  William,  who  was 
driving  the  last  dozen  spikes,  took  a  survey,  and  then 
came  down  to  Ready. 

"  I  can  see  everything,  Ready  ;  they  have  pulled 
down  the  old  house  altogether,  and  are  most  of  them 
lying  down  outside,  covered  up  with  their  war-cloaks ; 
some  women  are  walking  to  and  fro  from  the  canoes, 
which  are  lying  on  the  beach  where  they  first 
landed." 

'  They  have  pulled  down  the  house  to  obtain  the 
iron  nails,  I  have  no  doubt,"  replied  Ready.  "  Did 
you  see  any  of  their  dead  ?" 

"  No  ;  I  did  not  look  about  very  much,  but  I  will  go 
up  again  directly.  I  came  down  because  my  hands 
were  jarred  with  hammering,  and  the  hammer  was  so 
heavy  to  carry.  In  a  minute  or  two  I  shall  go  up  light 
enough.  My  lips  are  burning,  Ready,  and  swelled ; 
the  skin  is  peeling  off.  I  had  no  idea  that  want  of 
water  would  have  been  so  dreadful.  I  think  poor 
Tommy  is  more  than  punished  already." 

"  A  child  does  not  reflect  upon  consequences,  Master 
William,  nor  could  we  possibly  foresee  that  his  using 
up  the  water  could  have  created  such  misery.  It  was 
an  idle  trick  of  his,  and  whatever  may  be  the  conse- 
quences, it  still  can  be  considered  as  such,  and  nothing 
more." 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  41 7 

"  I  was  in  the  hopes  of  finding  a  cocoanut  or  two  on 
the  tree,  but  there  was  not  one." 

"  And  if  you  had  found  one,  it  would  not  have  had 
any  milk  in  it  at  this  season  of  the  year.  However, 
Master  William,  if  the  savages  do  not  go  away  to-day 
something  must  be  done.  I  wish  now  that  you  would 
go  up  again,  and  see  if  they  are  not  stirring." 

William  again  mounted  to  the  top  of  the  tree,  and 
remained  up  for  some  minutes ;  when  he  came  down 
he  said  :  "  They  are  all  up  now,  and  swarming  like 
bees.  I  counted  two  hundred  and  sixty  of  the  men,  in 
their  war-cloaks  and  feather  headdresses ;  the  women 
are  passing  to  and  fro  from  the  well  with  water ;  there 
is  nobody  at  the  canoes  except  eight  or  ten  women, 
who  are  beating  their  heads,  I  think,  or  doing  some- 
thing of  the  kind.  I  could  not  make  it  out  well,  but 
they  seem  all  doing  the  same  thing." 

"  I  know  what  they  are  about,  Master  William  ;  they 
are  cutting  themselves  with  knives  or  other  sharp  in- 
struments. It  is  the  custom  of  these  people.  The 
dead  are  all  put  into  the  canoes,  and  these  women  are 
lamenting  over  them  ;  perhaps  they  are  going  away, 
since  the  dead  are  in  the  canoes;  but  there  is  no 
saying." 


4 J  8  MASTERMAN  READ  Y. 


CHAPTER  LXIV. 

BEADY'S   SELF-DEVOTION. 

THE  second  day  was  passed  in  keeping  a  lookout 
upon  the  savages,  and  awaiting  a  fresh  attack.  They 
could  perceive  from  the  top  of  the  cocoanut-tree  that 
the  savages  held  a  council  of  war  in  the  forenoon, 
sitting  round  in  a  large  circle,  while  one  got  up  in  the 
center  and  made  a  speech,  flourishing  his  club  and 
spear  while  he  spoke.  In  the  afternoon  the  council 
broke  up,  and  the  savages  were  observed  to  be  very 
busy  in  all  directions,  cutting  down  the  cocoanut-trees, 
and  collecting  all  the  brushwood. 

Ready  watched  them  for  a  long  while,  and  at  last 
came  down  a  little  before  sunset.  "  Mr.  Seagrave," 
said  he,  "  we  shall  have,  in  my  opinion,  no  attack  this 
night,  but  to-morrow  we  must  expect  something  very 
serious  ;  the  savages  are  cutting  down  the  trees,  and 
making  large  fagots ;  they  do  not  get  on  very  fast, 
because  their  hatchets  are  made  of  stone  and  don't  cut 
very  well;  but  perseverance  and  numbers  will  effect 
everything,  and  I  dare  say  that  they  will  work  all 
night  till  they  have  obtained  as  many  fagots  as  they 
want." 

"  But  what  do  you  imagine  to  be  their  object, 
Ready,  in  cutting  down  trees,  and  making  the 
fagots  ?" 


MASTERMAN  READY.  419 

"  Either,  sir,  to  pile  them  outside  the  palisades,  so 
large  as  to  be  able  to  walk  up  upon  them,  or  else  to 
pile  them  up  to  set  fire  to  them,  and  burn  us  out." 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  succeed  ?" 

"  Not  without  very  heavy  loss ;  perhaps  we  may 
beat  them  off,  but  it  will  be  a  hard  fight,  harder  than 
any  we  have  had  yet.  "We  must  have  the  women  to 
load  the  muskets,  so  that  we  may  fire  as  fast  as  we 
can.  I  should  not  think  much  of  their  attempts  to 
burn  us,  if  it  were  not  for  the  smoke.  Cocoanut  wood, 
especially  with  the  bark  on,  as  our  palisades  have,  will 
char  a  long  while,  but  not  burn  easily  when  standing 
upright ;  and  the  fire,  when  the  fagots  are  kindled, 
although  it  will  be  fierce,  will  not  last  long." 

"  But  suffering  as  we  are  now,  Ready,  for  want  of 
water,  how  can  we  possibly  keep  up  our  strength  to 
meet  them  in  a  suffocating  smoke  and  flame?  we  must 
drop  with  sheer  exhaustion." 

"  We  must  hope  for  the  best,  and  do  our  best,  Mr. 
Seagrave,"  replied  Ready ;  "  and  recollect  that,  should 
anything  happen  to  me  during  the  conflict,  if  there  is 
any  chance  of  your  being  overpowered,  you  must  take 
advantage  of  the  smoke  to  escape  into  the  woods,  and 
find  your  way  to  the  tents.  I  have  no  doubt  that  you 
will  be  able  to  do  that ;  of  course  the  attack  will  be 
to  windward,  if  they  use  fire,  and  you  must  try  and 
escape  to  leeward;  I  have  shown  "William  how  to  force 
a  palisade  if  necessary.  The  savages,  if  they  get 
possession,  will  not  think  of  looking  for  you  at  first, 
and,  perhaps,  when  they  have  obtained  all  that  the 
house  contains,  not  even  afterward." 

"  Why  do  you  say  if  any  accident  happens  to  you, 
Eeady  ?"  said  William. 


420  MASTERMAK  READY. 

"  Because,  Master  William,  if  they  place  the  fagots 
so  as  to  be  able  to  walk  to  the  top  of  the  palisades,  I 
may  be  wounded  or  killed,  and  so  may  you." 

"  Of  course,"  replied  "William  ;  "  but  they  are  not  in 
yet,  and  they  shall  have  a  hard  fight  for  it." 

Ready  then  told  Mr.  Seagrave  that  he  would  keep 
the  watch,  and  call  him  at  twelve  o'clock.  During 
these  two  days  they  had  eaten  very  little ;  a  turtle  had 
been  killed,  and  pieces  fried ;  but  eating  only  added 
to  their  thirst,  and  even  the  children  refused  the  meat. 
The  sufferings  were  now  really  dreadful,  and  poor 
Mrs.  Seagrave  was  almost  frantic. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Seagrave  had  gone  into  the  house, 
Ready  called  William,  and  said:  "Master  William, 
water  we  must  have.  I  cannot  bear  to  see  the  agony 
of  the  poor  children,  and  the  state  of  mind  which  your 
poor  mother  is  in ;  and  more,  without  water  we  never 
shall  be  able  to  beat  off  the  savages  to-morrow.  We 
shall  literally  die  of  choking  in  the  smoke,  if  they  use 
fire.  Now,  William,  I  intend  to  take  one  of  the  seven- 
gallon  barricos,  and  go  down  to  the  well  for  water.  I 
may  succeed,  and  I  may  not,  but  attempt  it  I  must ; 
and  if  I  fall  it  cannot  be  helped." 

"  Why  not  let  me  go,  Ready  ?"  replied  William. 

"For  many  reasons,  William,"  said  Ready;  "and 
the  chief  one  is,  that  I  do  not  think  you  would  succeed 
so  well  as  I  shall.  I  shall  put  on  the  war-cloak  and 
feathers  of  the  savage  who  fell  dead  inside  of  the 
stockade,  and  that  will  be  a  disguise ;  but  I  shall  take 
no  arms  except  his  spear,  as  they  would  only  be 
in  my  way,  and  increase  the  weight  I  have  to  carry. 
Now,  observe,  you  must  let  me  out  of  the  door,  and 
when  I  am  out,  in  case  of  accident,  put  one  of  the  poles 


MASTERMAN  READY.  43^ 

across  it  inside ;  that  will  keep  the  door  fast  if  they 
attack  it,  until  you  can  secure  it  with  the  others. 
Watch  my  return,  and  be  all  ready  to  let  ine  in.  Do 
you  understand  me?" 

"  Yes,  perfectly,  Eeady ;  but  I  am  now,  I  must  con- 
fess, really  frightened ;  if  anything  was  to  happen  to 
you,  what  a  misery  it  would  be." 

"  There  is  no  help  for  it,  William.  Water  must,  if 
possible,  be  procured,  and  now  is  a  better  time  to  make 
the  attempt  than  later,  when  they  may  be  more  on  the 
watch ;  they  have  left  oif  their  work,  and  are  busy 
eating ;  if  I  meet  any  one,  it  will  only  be  a  woman." 

Keady  went  for  the  barrico,  a  little  cask,  which  held 
six  or  seven  gallons  of  water.  He  put  on  the  head- 
dress and  war-cloak  of  the  savage ;  and,  taking  the 
barrico  on  his  shoulder,  and  the  spear  in  his  hand, 
the  poles  which  barred  the  door  were  softly  removed 
by  William,  and  after  ascertaining  that  no  one  was 
concealed  beneath  the  palisades,  Ready  pressed  Will- 
iam's hand,  and  set  off  across  the  cleared  space  outside 
of  the  stockade,  and  gained  the  cocoanut-trees.  Will- 
iam, as  directed,  closed  the  door,  passed  one  pole 
through  the  inner  door-posts  for  security,  and  remained 
on  the  watch.  He  was  in  an  awful  state  of  suspense, 
listening  to  the  slightest  noise;  even  the  slight  rustling 
by  the  wind  of  the  cocoanut  boughs  above  him  made 
him  start ;  there  he  continued  for  some  minutes,  his 
gun  ready  cocked  by  his  side. 

"It  is  time  that  he  returned,"  thought  William; 
"  the  distance  is  not  a  hundred  yards,  and  yet  I  have 
heard  no  noise."  At  last  he  thought  he  heard  foot- 
steps coming  very  softly.  Yes,  it  was  so.  Ready  was 
returning,  and  without  any  accident.  William  had  his 


422  MASTERMAN  READY. 

hand  upon  the  pole,  to  slip  it  on  one  side,  and  open  the 
door,  when  he  heard  a  scuffle  and  a  fall  close  to  the 
door.  He  immediately  threw  down  the  pole  and 
opened  it,  just  as  Ready  called  him  by  name.  William 
seized  his  musket,  and  sprang  out ;  he  found  Ready 
struggling  with  a  savage,  who  was  uppermost,  and 
with  his  spear  at  Ready's  breast.  In  a  second  William 
leveled  and  fired,  and  the  savage  fell  dead  by  the  side 
of  Ready. 

"  Take  the  water  in  quick,  William,"  said  Ready,  in 
a  faint  voice ;  "  I  will  contrive  to  crawl  in  if  I  can." 

William  caught  up  the  barrico  of  water,  and  took  it 
in  ;  he  then  hastened  to  Ready,  who  was  on  his  knees. 
Mr.  Seagrave,  hearing  the  musket  fired,  had  run  out, 
and,  finding  the  stockade-door  open,  followed  William, 
and,  seeing  him  endeavoring  to  support  Ready,  caught 
hold  of  his  other  arm,  and  they  led  him  tottering  into 
the  stockade ;  the  door  was  then  immediately  secured, 
and  they  went  to  his  assistance. 

"  Are  you  hurt,  Ready  ?"  said  William. 

"  Yes,  dear  boy,  yes ;  hurt  to  death,  I  fear ;  his  spear 
went  through  my  breast.  Water,  quick,  water !" 

"  Alas,  that  we  had  some !"  said  Mr.  Seagrave. 

"  We  have,  papa,"  replied  William ;  "  but  it  has  cost 
us  dearly." 

William  ran  for  a  pannikin,  and,  taking  out  the 
bung,  poured  some  water  out  of  the  barrico,  and  gave 
it  to  Ready,  who  drank  it  with  eagerness. 

"Now,  William,  lay  me  down  on  these  cocoanut 
boughs ;  go  and  give  some  water  to  the  others,  and 
when  you  have  all  drunk  then  come  to  me  again. 
Don't  tell  Mrs.  Seagrave  that  I'm  hurt.  Do  as  I  beg 
of  you." 


MASTERMAN  HEAD  T.  433 

"  Papa,  take  the  water — do,  pray,"  replied  William ; 
"  I  cannot  leave  Keady." 

"  I  will,  my  boy,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  first 
drink  yourself." 

William,  who  was  very  faint,  drank  off  the  pannikin 
of  water,  which  immediately  revived  him,  and  then, 
while  Mr.  Seagrave  hastened  with  some  water  to  the 
children  and  women,  occupied  himself  with  old  Ready, 
who  breathed  heavily,  but  did  not  speak. 


424  MASTEEMAN  READY. 


CHAPTER  LXY. 

SAVED. 

AFTER  returning  twice  for  water,  to  satisfy  those 
in  the  house,  Mr.  Seagrave  came  to  the  assistance  of 
William,  who  had  been  removing  Ready's  clothes  to 
ascertain  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  wound  which  he 
had  received. 

"We  had  better  move  him  to  where  the  other  cocoa- 
nut  boughs  lie;  he  will  be  more  comfortable  there," 
said  William. 

Ready  whispered,  "More  water."  William  gave 
him  some  more,  and  then,  with  the  assistance  of  his 
father,  Ready  was  removed  to  a  more  comfortable 
place.  As  soon  as  they  had  laid  him  there  Ready 
turned  on  his  side  and  threw  up  a  quantity  of  blood. 

"  I  am  better  now,"  said  he,  in  a  low  voice ;  "  bind 
up  the  wound,  William ;  an  old  man  like  me  has  not 
much  blood  to  spare." 

Mr.  Seagrave  and  William  then  opened  his  shirt,  and 
examined  the  wound  ;  the  spear  had  gone  deep  into  the 
lungs.  William  threw  off  his  own  shirt,  tore  it  up  into 
strips,  and  then  bound  up  the  wound  so  as  to  stop  the 
effusion  of  blood. 

Ready,  who  at  first  appeared  much  exhausted  with 
being  moved  about,  gradually  recovered  so  as  to  be 


MASTERMAN  READY.  435 

able  to  speak  in  a  low  voice,  when  Mrs.  Seagrave  came 
out  of  the  house. 

"  Where  is  that  brave,  kind  man  ?"  cried  she,  "  that 
I  may  bless  him  and  thank  him  ?" 

Mr.  Seagrave  went  to  her,  and  caught  her  by  the 
arm. 

"  He  is  hurt,  my  dear ;  I  am  afraid  very  much  hurt. 
I  did  not  tell  you  at  the  time." 

Mr.  Seagrave  first  briefly  related  what  had  occurred, 
and  then  led  her  to  where  old  Keady  was  lying.  Mrs. 
Seagrave  knelt  by  his  side,  took  his  hand,  and  burst 
into  tears. 

"  Don't  weep  for  me,  dear  madam,"  said  Keady ; 
"  my  days  have  been  numbered  ;  I'm  only  sorry  that  I 
cannot  any  more  be  useful  to  you." 

"  Dear,  goocl  old  man,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  after  a 
pause,  "  whatever  may  be  our  fates,  and  that  is  for  the 
Almighty  to  decide  for  us,  as  long  as  I  have  life, 
what  you  have  done  for  me  and  mine  shall  never  be 
forgotten." 

Mrs.  Seagrave  then  bent  over  him,  and,  kissing  his 
forehead,  rose  from  her  knees,  and  retired  weeping 
into  the  house. 

"  William,"  said  Keady,  "  I  can't  talk  now ;  raise  my 
head  a  little,  and  then  leave  me ;  I  shall  be  better  if 
I'm  quiet.  You  have  not  looked  round  lately.  Come 
again  in  about  half  an  hour.  Leave  me  now,  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  ;  I  shall  be  better  if  I  doze  a  little." 

William  and  Mr.  Seagrave  complied  with  Ready's 
request ;  they  went  up  to  the  planks,  and  examined  all 
round  the  stockade,  cautiously  and  carefully ;  at  last 
they  stopped. 


426  MASTERMAN  READY. 

"  This  is  a  sad  business,  "William,"  said  Mr.  Sea- 
grave. 

"William  shook  his  head.  "  He  would  not  let  me  go," 
replied  he ;  "I  wish  he  had.  I  fear  that  he  is  much 
hurt ;  do  you  think  so,  papa  ?" 

"  I  should  say  that  he  cannot  recover,  "William.  We 
shall  miss  him  to-morrow,  if  they  attack  us;  I  fear 
much  for  the  result." 

"  I  hardly  know  what  to  say,  papa  ;  but  this  I  feel, 
that  since  we  have  been  relieved  I  am  able  to  do  twice 
as  much  as  I  could  have  done  before." 

"  I  feel  the  same,  my  dear  boy  ;  but  still,  with  such 
a  force  against  us,  two  people  cannot  do  much." 

"  If  my  mother  and  Juno  load  the  muskets  for  us," 
replied  William,  "  we  shall  at  all  events  do  as  much 
now  as  we  should  have  been  able  to  do  if  there  were 
three,  so  exhausted  as  we  should  have  been." 

"  Perhaps  so,  my  dear  William ;  at  all  events  we  will 
do  our  best,  for  we  fight  for  our  lives  and  the  lives  of 
those  most  dear  to  us." 

William  went  softly  up  to  Ready,  and  found  that 
the  old  man  was  dozing,  if  not  asleep ;  he  did  not 
therefore  disturb  him,  but  returned  to  his  father ; 
they  carried  the  barrico  of  water  into  the  house,  and 
put  it  in  Mrs.  Seagrave's  charge,  that  it  might  not 
be  wasted ;  and  now  that  their  thirst  had  been  ap- 
peased, they  all  felt  the  calls  of  hunger.  Juno  and 
William  went  and  cut  off  steaks  from  the  turtle,  and 
fried  them ;  they  all  made  a  hearty  meal,  and  perhaps 
never  had  they  taken  one  with  so  much  relish  in  their 
lives. 

It  was  nearly  daylight,  when  William,  who  had 
several  times  been  softly  up  to  Ready  to  ascertain 


MASTERMAN  READY.  437 

whether  he  slept  or  not,  found  him  with  his  eyes 
open. 

"  How  do  you  find  yourself,  Keady  ?"  said  William. 

"  I  am  quiet  and  easy,  William,  and  without  much 
pain ;  but  I  think  I  am  sinking,  and  shall  not  last  long. 
Kecollect  that  if  you  are  obliged  to  escape  from  the 
stockade,  William,  you  take  no  heed  of  me,  but  leave 
me  where  I  am.  I  cannot  live,  and  were  you  to  move 
me,  I  should  only  die  the  sooner." 

"  I  had  rather  die  with  you  than  leave  you,  Keady." 

"  No,  sir  ;  that  is  wrong  and  foolish ;  you  must  save 
your  mother  and  your  brothers  and  sisters ;  promise 
me  that  you  will  do  as  1  wish." 

William  hesitated. 

"  I  point  out  to  you  your  duty,  Master  William  ;  I 
know  what  your  feelings  are,  but  you  must  not  give 
way  to  them  ;  promise  me  this,  or  you  will  make  me 
very  miserable." 

William  squeezed  Eeady's  hand ;  his  heart  was  too 
full  to  speak. 

"  They  will  come  at  daylight,  William — I  think  so  at 
least ;  you  have  not  much  time  to  spare ;  climb  to  the 
lookout,  and  wait  there  till  day  dawns ;  watch  them  as 
long  as  you  can  in  safety,  and  then  come  down  to  tell 
me  what  you  have  seen." 

Ready's  voice  became  faint  after  this  exertion  of 
speaking  so  much. 

He  motioned  to  William,  who  immediately  climbed 
up  the  cocoanut-tree,  and  waited  there  till  daylight. 

At  dawn  of  day  he  perceived  that  the  savages  were 
at  work,  that  they  had  collected  all  the  fagots  together 
opposite  to  where  the  old  house  stood,  and  were  very 
busy  in  making  arrangements  for  the  attack.  At  last 


428  MASTERMAN  READY. 

he  perceived  that  they  every  one  shouldered  a  fagot, 
and  commenced  their  advance  toward  the  stockade ; 
William  immediately  descended  from  the  tree,  and 
called  his  father,  who  was  talking  with  Mrs  Seagrave. 
The  muskets  were  all  loaded,  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  and 
Juno  took  their  posts  below  the  planking,  to  reload 
them  as  fast  as  they  were  fired. 

"  We  must  fire  upon  them  as  soon  as  we  are  sure  of 
not  missing  them,  William,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  for 
the  more  we  check  their  advance  the  better." 

When  the  first  savages  were  within  fifty  yards,  they 
both  fired,  and  two  of  the  men  dropped;  and  they 
continued  to  fire  as  their  assailants  came  up,  with 
great  success  for  the  first  ten  minutes  ;  after  which  the 
savages  advanced  in  a  larger  body,  and  took  the  pre- 
caution to  hold  the  fagots  in  front  of  them,  for  some 
protection  as  they  approached.  By  these  means  they 
gained  the  stockade  in  safety,  and  commenced  laying 
their  fagots.  Mr.  Seagrave  and  William  still  kept  up 
an  incessant  fire  upon  them,  but  not  with  so  much  suc- 
cess as  before. 

Although  many  fell,  the  fagots  were  gradually 
heaped  up,  till  they  almost  reached  to  the  holes  be- 
tween the  palisades,  through  which  they  pointed 
their  muskets ;  and  as  the  savages  contrived  to  slope 
them  down  from  the  stockade  to  the  ground,  it  was 
evident  that  they  meant  to  mount  up  and  take  them 
by  escalade.  At  last,  it  appeared  as  if  all  the  fagots 
had  been  placed,  and  the  savages  retired  further  back, 
to  where  the  cocoanut-trees  were  still  standing. 

"  They  have  gone  away,  father,"  said  William ; 
"  but  they  will  come  again,  and  I  fear  it  is  all  over 
with  us." 


MASTERMAN  READY.  439 

"  I  fear  so  too,  my  noble  boy,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ; 
"  they  are  only  retreating  to  arrange  for  a  general 
assault,  and  they  now  will  be  able  to  gain  an  entrance. 
I  almost  wish  that  they  had  fired  the  fagots ;  we  might 
have  escaped  as  Keady  pointed  out  to  us,  but  now  I 
fear  we  have  no  chance." 

"  Don't  say  a  word  to  my  mother,"  said  William ; 
"  let  us  defend  ourselves  to  the  last,  and  if  we  are 
overpowered,  it  is  the  will  of  God  !" 

"  I  should  like  to  take  a  farewell  embrace  of  your 
dear  mother,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  no  ;  it  will  be 
weakness  just  now ;  I  had  better  not.  Here  they  come, 
William,  in  a  swarm.  Well,  God  bless  you,  my  boy ; 
we  shall  all,  I  trust,  meet  in  Heaven." 

The  whole  body  of  savages  were  now  advancing 
from  the  cocoanut  wood  in  a  solid  mass  ;  they  raised  a 
yell,  which  struck  terror  into  the  hearts  of  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  and  Juno,  yet  they  flinched  not.  The  savages 
Avere  again  within  fifty  yards  of  them,  when  the  fire 
was  opened  upon  them ;  the  fire  was  answered  by 
loud  yells,  and  the  savages  had  already  reached  to 
the  bottom  of  the  sloping  pile  of  fagots,  when  the 
yells  and  the  reports  of  the  muskets  were  drowned  by 
a  much  louder  report,  followed  by  the  cracking  and 
breaking  of  the  cocoanut-trees,  which  made  both 
parties  start  with  surprise ;  another  and  another  fol- 
lowed, the  ground  was  plowed  up,  and  the  savages  fell 
in  numbers. 

"  It  must  be  the  cannon  of  a  ship,  father !"  said 
William  ;  "  we  are  saved — we  are  saved  !" 

"  It  can  be  nothing  else ;  we  are  saved,  and  by  a 
miracle,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave  in  utter  astonishment. 

The  savages  paused  in  the  advance,  quite  stupefied ; 


430  MASTERMAN  READ7. 

again,  again,  again,  the  report  of  the  loud  guns  boomed 
through  the  air,  and  the  round  shot  and  grape  came 
whizzing  and  tearing  through  the  cocoanut  grove  ;  at 
this  last  broadside  the  savages  turned  and  fled  toward 
their  canoes ;  not  one  was  left  to  be  seen. 

"  "We  are  saved !"  cried  Mr.  Seagrave,  leaping  off  the 
plank  and  embracing  his  wife,  who  sunk  down  on  her 
knees,  and  held  up  her  clasped  hands  in  thankfulness 
to  Heaven. 

William  had  hastened  up  to  the  lookout  on  the  cocoa- 
nut-tree,  and  now  cried  out  to  them  below,  as  the  guns 
were  again  discharged : 

"  A  large  schooner,  father ;  she  is  firing  at  the  sav- 
ages, who  are  at  the  canoes ;  they  are  falling  in  every 
direction  ;  some  have  plunged  into  the  water ;  there  is 
a  boatful  of  armed  men  coming  on  shore ;  they  are 
close  to  the  beach,  by  the  garden  point.  Three  of  the 
canoes  have  got  off  full  of  men;  there  go  the  guns 
again  ;  two  of  the  canoes  are  sunk,  father ;  the  boat 
has  landed,  and  the  people  are  coming  up  this  way.1' 
"William  then  descended  from  the  lookout  as  fast  as  he 
could. 

As  soon  as  he  was  down  he  commenced  unbarring 
the  door  of  the  stockade.  He  pulled  out  the  last  pole 
just  as  he  heard  the  feet  of  the  deliverers  outside.  He 
threw  open  the  door,  and  a  second  after  found  himself 
in  the  arms  of  Captain  Osborn. 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y. '  431 


CHAPTER  LXYI. 

KEADY'S  DEATH. 


BEFORE  we  wind  up  this  history  it  will  be  as  well  to 
state  to  my  young  readers  how  it  was  that  Captain  Os- 
born  made  his  appearance  at  so  fortunate  a  moment. 

It  will  be  recollected  how  a  brig  came  off  the  island 
some  months  before  this,  and  the  great  disappointment 
that  the  party  on  the  island  experienced  in  her  not 
making  her  appearance  again,  especially  as  they  had 
seen  the  flags  which  they  had  hoisted. 

The  fact  was,  that  those  on  board  of  the  brig  had 
not  only  seen  their  signals,  but  had  read  the  name  of 
the  Pacific  upon  the  flag  hoisted ;  but  the  heavy  gale 
which  came  on  drove  them  so  far  to  the  southward 
that  the  master  of  the  brig  did  not  consider  that  he 
should  do  his  duty  to  his  owners  if  he  lost  so  much 
time  in  beating  up  for  the  island  again;  the  cargo 
which  he  had  on  board  was  one  which  would  lose  in 
value  if  it  were  not  one  of  the  first  in  the  market.  He 
therefore  decided  upon  making  all  sail  for  Sidney,  to 
which  port  he  was  bound. 

When  Captain  Osborn  was  put  into  the  boat  by 
Mackintosh  and  the  seamen  of  the  Pacific  he  was  still 
insensible;  but  he  gradually  recovered,  and  after  a 
stormy  night,  during  which  the  seamen  had  the  greatest 
difficulty  in  keeping  the  boat  afloat,  Captain  Osborn 


432  MASTERMAN  READY. 

was  so  far  recovered  as  to  hear  from  Mackintosh  what 
had  taken  place,  and  why  it  was  that  he  found  himself 
in  an  open  boat  at  sea.  The  next  morning  the  wind 
moderated,  and  they  were  fortunate  enough  to  fall  in 
with  a  vessel  bound  to  Yan  Diemen's  Land,  which 
took  them  all  on  board. 

From  the  account  given  by  Mackintosh,  Captain  Os- 
born  had  no  doubt  in  his  mind  but  that  the  Seagrave 
family  had  perished,  and  the  loss  of  the  vessel,  with 
them  on  board,  was  duly  reported  to  the  owners. 
When  at  Yan  Diemen's  Land,  Captain  Osborn  was  so 
much  taken  with  the  beauty  and  fertility  of  the  country, 
and  perhaps  not  so  well  inclined  to  go  to  sea  again 
after  such  danger  as  he  had  incurred  in  the  last  voyage, 
that  he  resolved  to  purchase  land  and  settle  there.  He 
did  so,  and  had  already  stocked  his  farm  with  cattle, 
and  had  gone  round  to  Sidney  in  a  schooner  to  await 
the  arrival  of  a  large  order  from  England,  which  he 
had  sent  for,  when  the  brig  arrived  and  reported  the 
existence  of  some  white  people  on  the  small  island,  and 
also  that  they  had  hoisted  a  flag  with  the  name  Pacific 
worked  on  it. 

Captain  Osborn,  hearing  this,  went  to  the  master  of 
the  brig,  and  questioned  him.  He  found  the  latitude 
and  longitude  of  the  island  to  be  not  far  from  that  of 
the  ship  when  she  was  deserted,  and  he  was  now  con- 
vinced that,  by  some  miracle,  the  Seagrave  family  had 
been  preserved.  He  therefore  went  to  the  governor 
of  New  South  "Wales,  and  made  him  acquainted  with 
the  facts  which  had  been  established,  and  the  governor 
instantly  replied  that  the  government  armed  schooner 
was  at  his  service,  if  he  would  himself  go  in  quest  of 
his  former  shipmates.  Inconvenient  as  the  absence  at 


MASTERMAN  READY.  433 

that  time  was  to  Captain  Osborn,  he  at  once  acquiesced, 
and  in  a  few  days  the  schooner  sailed  for  her  destina- 
tion. She  arrived  off  the  island  on  the  same  morning 
that  the  fleet  of  canoes  with  the  savages  effected  their 
landing,  and,  when  William  made  the  remark  to  Keady, 
as  they  were  hastening  into  the  stockade,  that  there 
was  another  vessel  under  sail  off  the  garden  point,  had 
Keady  had  time  to  put  his  eye  to  the  telescope,  he 
would  have  discovered  that  it  was  the  schooner,  and 
not,  as  he  supposed,  a  canoe  which  had  separated  from 
the  others  during  the  night. 

The  schooner  stood  in  to  the  reefs,  and  then  hauled 
off  again,  that  she  might  send  her  boat  in,  to  sound  for 
an  anchorage.  The  boat,  when  sounding,  perceived 
the  canoes  of  the  savages,  and  afterward  heard  the  re- 
port of  firearms  on  the  first  attack.  On  her  return  on 
board  the  schooner  they  stated  what  they  had  seen 
and  heard,  and  their  idea  that  the  whole  people  on  the 
island  were  being  attacked  by  the  savages.  As  the 
boat  did  not  return  on  board  till  near  dusk  they  had 
not  time  to  canvass  the  question  when  the  night  attack 
was  made,  and  they  again  heard  the  firing  of  the 
muskets. 

This  made  Captain  Osborn  most  anxious  to  land  as 
soon  as  possible,  but  as  the  savages  were  in  such  num- 
bers, and  the  crew  of  the  schooner  did  not  consist  of 
more  than  twenty-five  men,  the  commander  considered 
it  was  rash  to  make  the  attempt.  He  did,  however, 
show  the  utmost  anxiety  to  bring  his  schooner  to  an 
anchor,  so  as  to  protect  his  men,  and  then  agreed  that 
they  should  land. 

The  boat  had  reported  deep  water  and  good  anchor- 
age close  to  the  garden  point,  and  every  preparation  was 


434  MASTERMAN  READY. 

made  for  running  at  daylight  on  the  following  morning ; 
but  unfortunately  it  fell  calm,  for  the  best  part  of  the 
day,  and  it  was  not  until  the  morning  after,  just  as  the 
savages  were  making  their  last  attack  upon  the 
stockade,  that  she  could  get  in.  As  soon  as  she  did, 
she  opened  the  fire  of  her  carronades,  and  the  result  is 
already  known ;  the  savages  fled  in  all  directions ;  the 
boat  was  then  manned,  and  Captain  Osborn  led  the 
party  who  landed,  and  came  so  opportunely  to  their 
relief. 

My  readers  must,  if  they  can,  imagine  the  joy  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  when  they  beheld  their  old 
friend,  Captain  Osborn.  All  danger  was  now  over; 
the  party  who  had  landed  with  him  went  out  under 
the  command  of  the  mate,  to  ascertain  if  there  were 
any  more  of  the  savages  to  be  found ;  but,  except  the 
dead  and  dying,  all  had  escaped  in  some  of  the  smaller 
canoes.  Captain  Osborn  remained  with  the  Seagraves, 
and  in  a  few  words  told  his  own  history,  and  they 
then  informed  him  of  the  state  of  poor  old  Keady, 
whom  William  had  gone  to  attend  as  soon  as  Captain 
Osborn  was  engaged  with  his  father  and  mother. 
Captain  Osborn  hurried  out  to  see  him  ;  Ready  knew 
him  immediately,  that  is,  he  knew  his  voice,  for  the 
old  man's  eyes  were  already  so  dim  that  he  could  not 
see. 

"  That  is  Captain  Osborn,  I  know,"  said  Eeady,  in  a 
faint  voice.  "  You  have  come  in  good  time,  sir ;  I 
knew  you  would  come,  and  I  always  said  so ;  you  have 
the  thanks  of  a  dying  man." 

"  I  hope  it  is  not  so  bad  as  that,  Ready  ;  we  have  a 
surgeon  on  board,  and  I  will  send  for  him  at  once." 

"  No  surgeon  can  help  me,  sir,"   replied  Ready  ; 


MASTERMAN  READY.  435 

"  another  hour  of  time  will  not  pass  before  I  shall  be 
in  eternity.  I  thank  God  for  the  preservation  of  the 
family,  but,  Captain  Osborn,  my  time  is  come." 

The  old  man  then  joined  his  hands  across  his  breast, 
and  remained  for  some  time  in  silent  prayer. 

"  "We  had  better  leave,"  said  Captain  Osborn ;  "  he 
wishes  not  to  be  interrupted.  I  will  send  for  the  sur- 
geon, at  all  events,  although  I  feel  it  is  useless ;  the 
hand  of  death  is  already  on  him." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  walked  away  with  Captain 
Osborn,  all  of  them  much  affected  with  the  scene. 
William  still  remained  by  Ready's  side  to  give  him 
water  when  he  asked  for  it.  A  few  minutes  after- 
ward Ready  opened  his  eyes. 

"  Are  you  there,  William  ?  I  can't  see  you.  Listen 
to  me,  my  dear  boy.  Let  me  be  buried  under  the  trees 
on  the  mound  above  the  well,  I  wish  to  lie  there. 
Poor  little  Tommy ;  don't  let  him  know  that  he  was 
the  cause  of  my  death.  Bring  him  here  now,  and 
Juno  and  Caroline,  to  say  good-by,  William." 

William,  with  the  tears  rolling  down  his  cheeks, 
hastened  into  the  house,  and  communicated  Ready's 
wish  to  his  father  and  mother.  They  all  went  out  in 
a  body,  to  take  a  last  farewell ;  Ready  called  them  all 
by  name,  one  after  another.  They  knelt  down  as  he 
called  them,  and  kissed  him.  He  bade  them  farewell 
in  a  faint  voice,  which  at  last  was  changed  to  a  mere 
whisper.  They  still  remained,  in  silence  and  in  tears, 
standing  round  him,  William  only  kneeling  and  hold- 
ing his  hand,  when  the  old  man's  head  fell  back,  and 
he  was  no  more ! 

"  It  is  all  over,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave  mournfully, 
"  and  he  has,  I  have  no  doubt,  gone  to  receive  the 


4.3 6  MASTERMAN  READ  T. 

reward  of  a  good  and  just  man.  '  Happy  are  those 
who  die  in  the  Lord.'  ' 

Mr.  Seagrave  then  led  away  his  wife  and  children, 
leaving  Juno  and  William.  Poor  Juno  cried  as  if  her 
heart  would  break  as  soon  as  her  master  and  mistress 
were  gone  and  she  could  give  vent  to  her  feelings. 
"William  tried  to  console  her. 

"  Oh !  Massa  William,  me  often  think,  and  me  really 
think  now,  he  sent  by  Heaven  to  save  us  all.  He  just 
live  long  enough  to  do  all  he  could  do,  and  now  he 
gone  to  heaven  again." 

"  I  trust  he  has,  Juno ;  I  hope  I  may  live  as  well  and 
die  as  well  as  he  has  done." 

William  closed  up  the  eyes,  and  Juno  went  and 
fetched  the  ship's  ensign,  which  they  laid  over  the 
body,  after  which  they  joined  the  rest  of  the  party  in 
the  house. 

During  the  time  that  William  had  remained  with 
old  Keady,  the  commander  of  the  schooner  had  landed 
with  another  party  of  men,  whom  he  dispatched  to 
scour  the  island  in  pursuit  of  any  savages  who  might 
remain ;  but  they  could  find  none.  Captain  Osborn 
introduced  him  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave,  and  arrange- 
ments were  commenced  for  the  embarkation.  It  was 
decided  that  the  following  day  should  be  passed  in 
packing  up  and  getting  on  board  their  luggage,  and 
that  the  day  after  the  family  should  embark.  William 
then  mentioned  the  wish  of  poor  old  Ready  as  to  his 
burial.  The  commander  immediately  gave  directions 
for  a  coffin  to  be  made,  and  for  his  men  to  dig  the 
grave  at  the  spot  that  William  should  point  out.  It 
was  also  arranged  that  Juno  should  go  round  with  the 
boat  the  next  morning  at  daylight,  to  point  out  the 


MASTERMAN  READ  Y.  43 7 

little  harbor,  that  they  might  take  on  board  the  merino 
sheep,  which  were  of  value ;  all  the  other  animals,  with 
the  exception  of  the  dogs,  were  to  be  left  on  the  island 
for  the  benefit  of  those  who  might  at  any  future  time 
meet  with  a  disaster  similar  to  that  of  the  crew  and 
passengers  of  the  Pacific. 

The  boats  were  on  shore  early  the  next  morning, 
and  the  luggage  was  taken  on  board;  but  Mr.  Sea- 
grave  would  not  take  anything  which  could  prove  use- 
ful to  any  people  who  might  be  wrecked  on  the  island ; 
the  furniture,  tools,  iron-work,  nails,  beef  and  pork, 
and  flour,  were  all  put  into  the  house  and  locked  up; 
the  luggage  therefore  carried  away  was  not  very  great, 
and  was  soon  on  board. 


438  MASTERMAN  READY. 


CHAPTEE  LXYI1. 

THE   END. 

THE  hurry  and  bustle  of  preparing  for  their  depar- 
ture from  the  island,  and  the  rapid  succession  of  events 
which  had  been  crowded  together  within  so  very  few 
days,  had  not  allowed  time  for  much  thought  or  re- 
flection to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  and  William ;  at 
length,  however,  every  preparation  had  been  made,  and 
they  were  no  longer  urged  by  the  commander  of  the 
schooner  to  hasten  their  packing  up  and  arrangements : 
for  everything  had  been  sent  on  board  during  the 
afternoon,  and  it  was  proposed  that  they  should  sail  on 
the  following  day. 

Now  they  had  time  to  feel,  and  bitterly  did  they 
lament  the  loss  of  their  old  friend,  and  deplore  that  he 
had  not  survived  to  sail  with  them  to  Sydney.  They  had 
always  indulged  the  hope  that  one  day  they  should  be 
taken  off  the  island,  and  in  that  hope  they  had  ever 
looked  forward  to  old  Ready  becoming  a  part  of  their 
future  household.  Now  that  their  wishes  had  been 
granted — now  that  their  fond  longings  were  about  to 
be  realized — so  much  was  the  feeling  of  joy  and  grati- 
tude mingled  with  regret — so  great  was  their  grief  at 
the  loss  of  their  preserver — that,  could  he  have  been 
restored  to  them,  they  felt  as  if  they  would  have  gladly 
remained  on  the  island. 


MASTERMAN  READY.  439 

Captain  Osborn,  the  commander,  and  the  crew  of 
the  schooner,  had  taken  leave  of  them  for  the  night, 
and  had  gone  on  board,  having  made  arrangements  for 
the  interment  of  Keady,  previous  to  their  sailing,  on 
the  following  day.  The  children  had  been  put  to  bed, 
and  Juno  had  quitted  the  house ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  and  William  were  sitting  together  in  their  now 
half -dismantled  room,  when  Juno  entered;  the  poor 
girl  had  evidently  been  weeping. 

"Well,  Juno,"  observed  Mr.  Seagrave,  with  a  view 
to  break  the  silence,  which  had  continued  for  some 
time  previous  to  her  entrance,  "  are  you  not  glad  to 
leave  the  island  ?" 

"  One  time  I  think  I  would  be  very  glad,  but  now  I 
not  care  much,"  replied  Juno.  "  Island  very  nice  place ; 
all  very  happy  till  savage  come.  Suppose  they  not  kill 
old  Keady,  I  not  care." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  it  is  a  sad  blow 
to  us  all ;  I  did  hope  to  have  fostered  the  good  old 
man,  and  to  have  been  able  to  have  shown  him  our 
gratitude,  but — 

"  It  is  the  will  of  Heaven  that  it  should  be  other- 
wise," continued  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  I  would  give  half 
that  I  am  possesed  of,  that  he  had  not  perished." 

"  Oh,  massa !"  said  Juno,  "  I  sit  by  him  just  now ;  I 
take  off  the  flag,  and  look  at  his  face,  so  calm,  look 
so  happy,  so  good,  I  almost  t'ink  he  smile  at  me,  and 
then  I  cry.  Oh !  Massa  Tommy,  all  because  you,  idle 
boy." 

"  It  adds  much  to  my  regret,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave, 
"that  his  life  should  have  been  sacrificed  through 
the  thoughtlessness  of  one  of  my  own  children ; 
what  a  lesson  it  will  be  to  Tommy  when  he  is  old 


44 0  MA STERMAN  READ  7. 

enough  to  comprehend  fully  the  consequences  of  his 
conduct." 

"  That  he  must  not  know,  papa,"  said  William,  who 
had  been  leaning  mournfully  over  the  table ;  "  one  of 
Ready's  last  injunctions  was  that  Tommy  was  never  to 
be  told  of  it.  He  made  me  promise." 

"  His  last  wishes  shall  be  religiously  attended  to,  my 
dear  boy,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  for  what  do  we  not 
owe  to  that  good  old  man  ?  When  others  deserted  us 
and  left  us  to  perish,  he  remained  with  us  to  share  our 
fate,  with  every  prospect  that  the  ocean  would  bury  us. 
By  his  skill  we  were  saved  and  landed  in  safety.  He 
provided  for  our  wants,  added  to  our  comforts,  in- 
structed us  how  to  make  the  best  use  of  our  means, 
was  our  adviser,  and,  I  may  say,  our  protector.  What 
should  we  have  done  without  him  ?  Without  his  pre- 
cautions, we  should  have  perished  by  the  spears  of  the 
savages.  It  was  his  self-devotion  which  procured  the 
water  which  saved  our  lives,  and  it  was  in  this  act  that 
he  sacrificed  his  own.  What  an  example  of  Christian 
fortitude  and  humility  did  he  ever  show  us ;  and  in- 
deed, I  may  truly  say,  that  Toy  his  example,  sinful  as  I 
must  ever  be,  I  have  become,  I  trust,  a  better  man. 
Would  that  he  were  now  sitting  by  us — but  the  Lord's 
will  be  done." 

"  I  feel  as  if  I  had  lost  a  stay  or  prop,  my  dear  hus- 
band," replied  Mrs.  Seagrave.  "  So  accustomed  have 
I  been  to  look  to  him  for  advice  since  we  have  been  on 
this  island.  I  feel  now  constantly  that  there  is 
something  wanting,  and  then  I  recollect  that  it  is 
he  who  is  away  from  me.  Had  he  not  been  thus 
snatched  from  us — had  he  been  spared  to  us  a  few 
years,  and  had  we  been  permitted  to  have  surrounded 


MASTERMAN  READY.  441 

his  deathbed,  and  have  closed  his  eyes  in  peace — "  and 
Mrs.  Seagrave  wept  upon  the  shoulder  of  her  husband. 

After  a  time  Mrs.  Seagrave  recovered  herself ;  but 
silence  ensued,  only  broken  by  an  occasional  sob  from 
poor  Juno.  William's  heart  was  too  full;  he  could 
not,  for  a  long  while,  utter  a  word ;  at  last  he  said,  in 
a  low  voice : 

"  I  feel  that,  next  to  my  dear  father  and  mother,  I 
have  lost  my  best  friend.  I  cannot  forgive  myself  for 
allowing  him  to  go  for  the  water ;  it  was  my  duty  to 
go,  and  I  ought  to  have  gone." 

"  And  yet  we  could  have  ill  spared  you,  my  dear 
boy  ;  you  might  have  perished,"  replied  Mrs.  Seagrave. 

"It  would  have  been  as  God  willed,  my  dear 
mother,"  replied  William  ;  "  I  might  have  perished,  or 
I  might  not." 

"We  never  know  what  the  morrow  may  bring 
forth,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave,  "  or  what  may  be  in  store 
for  us.  Had  not  this  misfortune  happened,  had  old 
Ready  been  spared  to  us,  how  joyfully  should  I  and  all 
of  you  have  quitted  this  island,  full  of  anticipation,  and 
indulging  in  worldly  prospects.  What  a  change  has 
been  brought  over  me  by  this  melancholy  death! 
What  a  check  have  I  received !  I  now  am  all  thought 
and  anxiety.  I  have  said  to  myself,  '  We  have  been 
happy  on  this  island ;  our  wants  have  been  supplied ; 
even  our  comforts  have  been  great.  We  have  been 
under  no  temptations,  for  we  have  been  isolated  from 
the  world ;  am  I  so  sure  that  I  shall  be  as  happy  in 
future  as  I  have  been  ?  Am  I  confident,  now  my  long- 
wished-for  return  to  the  world  is  about  to  take  place, 
that  I  shall  have  no  cause  to  lament  that  I  ever  quitted 
this  peaceful,  quiet  spot  ?'  I  feel,  my  dear  wife,  that 


442  MASTERMAN  READY. 

it  is  a  duty  to  my  family  that  I  should  return  to 
society,  but  I  am.  far  from  feeling  that  our  happiness 
may  be  increased.  We  have,  however,  a  plain  precept 
to  follow,  which  is,  to  do  our  duty  in  that  state  of  life 
to  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  call  us." 

"  Yes,  my  dear  husband,"  replied  Mrs.  Seagrave ;  "I 
feel  the  truth  of  all  you  have  just  said.  We  are  in  His 
hands,  and  let  us  put  our  trust  in  Him." 

"  We  will,  dearest,"  replied  Mr.  Seagrave ;  "  but  it 
is  late,  and  we  have  to  rise  early  to-morrow  morning. 
This  is  the  last  evening  which  we  shall  pass  on  this 
island ;  let  us  return  our  thanks  for  the  happiness  we 
have  enjoyed  here ;  let  us  confide  in  Him  for  our  future 
welfare,  and  let  us  bow  in  humility  to  the  chastening 
with  which  He  has  thought  proper  to  visit  us.  We 
thought  to  have  quitted  this  spot  in  joy — it  is  His  will 
that  we  should  leave  it  in  sorrow." 

Mr.  Seagrave  took  down  the  Bible,  and  after  he  had 
read  a  chapter  he  poured  forth  a  prayer  suited  to  their 
feelings,  and  they  all  retired  to  repose. 

The  next  morning  they  were  up  early,  and  packed 
up  the  articles  which  still  remained  to  go  on  board. 
Mr.  Seagrave  read  the  prayers,  and  they  went  to  break- 
fast. Few  words  were  exchanged,  for  there  was  a 
solemn  grief  upon  all  of  them.  They  waited  for  the 
arrival  of  Captain  Osborn  and  the  crew  of  the  schooner 
to  attend  the  funeral  of  poor  old  Keady.  William, 
who  had  gone  out  occasionally  to  look  at  the  vessel, 
now  came  in,  and  said  that  two  boats  were  pulling  on 
shore.  A  few  minutes  afterward  Captain  Osborn  and 
the  commander  of  the  schooner  made  their  appearance, 
and  after  a  short  conversation  they  went  out  to  give 
directions.  The  coffin  had  been  brought  on  shore ;  the 


MASTERMAN  READY.  443 

body  of  Keady  was  put  into  it,  and  it  was  screwed 
down.  William  attended  the  process,  and  the  tears  fell 
fast  down  his  cheeks  as  the  lid  was  put  over,  and  he 
saw  the  last  of  his  old  friend. 

In  half  an  hour  all  was  prepared,  and  the  family  were 
summoned  from  the  house.  It  was  arranged  that 
William,  Mr.  Seagrave,  Captain  Osborn,  and  Juno  (at 
her  own  request)  should  be  the  pall-bearers. 

The  coffin,  covered  with  the  Union  Jack  as  a  pall, 
was  raised  on  the  shoulders  of  six  of  the  seamen,  and 
they  bore  it  to  the  grave,  followed  by  Mrs.  Seagrave 
and  the  children,  the  commander  of  the  schooner,  and 
several  of  the  men.  Mr.  Seagrave  read  the  funeral 
service,  which  was  occasionally  interrupted  by  the  sob- 
bing of  Juno,  the  grave  was  filled  up,  and  they  all 
walked  back  in  silence.  At  the  request  of  William  the 
commander  of  the  schooner  had  ordered  the  carpenter 
to  prepare  an  oak  paling  to  put  round  the  grave,  and 
a  board,  on  which  was  written  the  name  of  the  de- 
ceased and  day  of  his  death.  As  soon  as  this  had  been 
fixed  up,  AVilliam,  with  a  deep  sigh,  followed  the  com- 
mander of  the  schooner  to  the  house,  to  announce  that 
all  was  finished,  and  that  the  boat  waited  for  them  to 
embark. 

"  Come,  my  dear,"  said  Mr.  Seagrave  to  his  wife. 

"  I  will,  I  will,"  replied  Mrs.  Seagrave,  "  but  I  don't 
know  how  it  is,  noAv  that  the  hour  is  come  I  really  feel 
such  pain  at  quitting  this  dear  island.  Had  it  not  been 
for  poor  Eeady's  death,  I  really  do  think  I  should  wish 
to  remain." 

"  I  don't  doubt  but  that  you  feel  sorrow,  my  dear  ; 
but  we  must  not  keep  Captain  Osborn  waiting." 

"  I  should  like  to  have  time  to  visit  once  more  all 


444  MASTERMAN  READY. 

our  little  property — the  garden,  the  fish-pond,  the 
turtle-pond  ;  I  should  like  to  wish  good-by  even  to  the 
animals,  Seagrave ;  it  may  be  a  weakness,  but  I  can- 
not help  it." 

"  Do  we  leave  Nanny,  mamma,"  said  Caroline, "  and 
all  the  chickens  ?" 

"  Yes,  my  dear ;  we  leave  all  the  goats  and  fowls 
for  other  people,  if  they  come  to  the  island." 

"  Do  we  leave  all  the  turtles  in  the  pond  ?"  said 
Tommy ;  "  turtle  makes  good  soup.  I  like  turtle." 

"  That's  well  thought  of,"  said  Captain  Osborn ; 
"we  will  take  the  turtle  on  board.  It  will  not  be 
losing  much  time." 

"  Oh,  no,"  replied  the  commander  of  the  schooner ; 
"  go  down,  then,  my  men,  push  one  of  the  boats  round, 
and  get  the  turtles  on  board." 

While  this  little  delay  took  place  Mrs.  Seagrave 
walked  to  Ready's  grave,  to  see  the  paling  and  board 
which  William  had  told  her  had  been  put  up.  She 
would  have  lingered  still,  hanging  on  her  husband's 
arm,  but  Captain  Osborn  again  came  to  tell  her  that 
the  boat  waited  for  them. 

As  Mr.  Seagrave  was  aware  that  the  commander  of 
the  schooner  was  anxious  to  get  clear  of  the  islands 
before  night,  he  now  led  his  wife  down  to  the  boat. 
They  all  embarked  and  were  soon  on  the  deck  of  the 
schooner,  from  whence  they  continued  to  fix  their  eyes 
upon  the  island,  while  the  men  were  heaving  up  the 
anchor.  At  last  sail  was  made  upon  the  vessel,  the 
garden  point  was  cleared,  and  as  they  ran  away  with 
a  fair  wind,  each  object  on  the  shore  became  more  in- 
distinct. Still  their  eyes  were  turned  in  that  direction. 
Juno  and  William  stood  abaft ;  William  had  the  spy- 


MASTERMAN  READY.  445 

glass,  and  was  looking  through  it  very  steadily  as  the 
vessel  ran  on,  when  Captain  Osborn  inquired  what  he 
was  looking  at.  "I  am  taking  my  last  farewell  of 
Keady's  grave,"  replied  William. 

"  He  really  a  good  man,"  said  Juno  in  a  low  voice. 

As  they  ran  down  to  the  westward,  they  passed  the 
cove  where  they  had  first  landed,  and  Mr.  Seagrave 
directed  Mrs.  Seagrave's  attention  to  it.  Mrs.  Sea- 
grave  remained  for  some  time  looking  at  it  in  silence, 
and  then  said,  as  she  turned  away : 

"  We  shall  never  be  more  happy  than  we  were  on 
that  island,  Seagrave." 

"  It  will  indeed  be  well,  my  dear,  if  we  never  are 
less  happy,"  replied  her  husband. 

The  schooner  now  ran  fast  through  the  water,  and 
the  island  was  every  minute  less  distinct ;  after  a  time 
the  land  was  below  the  horizon,  and  the  tops  of  the 
cocoanut-trees  only  to  be  seen :  these  gradually  dis- 
appeared. Juno  watched  on,  and  when  at  last  nothing 
could  be  seen,  she  waved  her  handkerchief  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  island,  as  if  to  bid  it  farewell,  and  then 
went  down  below  to  hide  her  grief. 

The  wind  continued  fair,  and,  after  a  favorable 
passage  of  little  more  than  four  weeks,  they  arrived  at 
Sydney  Cove,  the  port  to  which  they  were  bound  when 
they  embarked  from  England  on_board  the  good  ship 
Pacific. 

P.  S. — As  my  young  readers  will  probably  wish  to 
know  a  little  more  about  the  Seagrave  family,  I  will 
inform  them  that 'Mr.  Seagrave,  like  the  patriarch  Job 
after  his  tribulation,  found  his  flocks  and  herds  greatly 
increased  on  his  arrival  at  Sydney.  The  agent  whom 


446  MASTERMAN  READY. 

he  had  left  in  charge  of  his  property  had  been  diligent 
and  honest,  and  although  it  was  fully  believed  that 
the  whole  of  the  family  had  perished,  and  that  the 
estates  would  go  to  distant  heirs,  still  the  delay  of  law 
proceedings  and  the  many  months  which  it  required 
to  communicate  with  England,  added  to  the  want  of 
positive  knowledge  of  their  loss,  had  not  yet  permitted 
the  estates  to  pass  away,  and  they  were  still  in  the 
hands  of  the  executors.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  lived 
to  see  all  their  children  grown  up.  William  inherited 
the  greater  part  of  the  property  from  his  'father,  after 
having  for  many  years  assisted  him  in  the  management 
of  it.  He  married  and  had  a  numerous  family. 
Tommy,  notwithstanding  all  his  scrapes,  grew  up  a 
very  fine  fellow,  and  entered  the  army.  He  is  now  a 
major,  and  is  said  to  retain  his  juvenile  tastes  so  far 
that,  among  his  many  arduous  duties,  he  is  still  a  very 
sedulous  and  efficient  officer  at  the  mess-table.  Caro- 
line married  a  young  clergyman,  and  made  him  an  ex- 
cellent wife ;  little  Albert  went  into  the  navy,  and  is 
at  present  a  commander. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seagrave  are  both  dead,  but  poor  Juno 
is  still  alive,  and  lives  at  Seagrave  Plantation  with 
William,  and  her  greatest  pleasure  is  to  take  his  chil- 
dren on  her  knee,  and  tell  them  long  stories  about  the 
island,  and  make  them  cry  when  she  goes  through  the 
history  of  old  Ready's  death  and  burial. 

And  now,  my  dear  children,  having  given  you  all 
the  information  that  I  possess,  I  have  only  to  add  that 
I  hope  you  like  what  I  have  written  for  you,  and  bid 
you  heartily  farewell. 

THE   END. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS 

For  Young  People 

BY  POPULAR  WRITERS, 

97-99-101  Reade  Street,  New  York. 


Bonnie  Prince  Charlie  :  A  Tale  of  Fontenoy  and  Culloden.     By 

G.  A.  HENTY.     With  12  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 

BROWNE.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  adventures  of  the  son  of  a  Scotch  officer  in  French  service. 
The  boy,  brought  up  by  a  Glasgow  bailie,  is  arrested  for  aiding  a 
Jacobite  ageut,  escapes,  is  wrecked  on  the  French  coast,  reaches 
Paris,  and  serves  with  the  French  army  at  Dettingen.  He  kills 
his  father's  foe  in  a  duel,  and  escaping  to  the  coast,  shares  the 
adventures  of  Prince  Charlie,  but  finally  settles  happily  in  Scot- 
land, 

"  Ronald,  the  hero,  is  very  like  the  hero  of  '  Quentin  Durward.1  The  lad'a 
journey  across  France,  and  his  hairbreadth  escapes,  make  up  as  good  a  nar- 
rative of  the  kind  as  we  have  ever  read.  For  freshness  of  treatment  and 
vari«ty  of  incident  Mr.  Henty  has  surpassed  himself."— Spectator. 

With  Clive  in  India  ;  or,  the   Beginnings  of  an  Empire.      By 

G.  A.  HENTY.     With   12   full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 

BROWNE.     12ino,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  period  between  the  landing  of  Clive  as  a  young  writer  in 
India  and  the  close  of  his  career  was  critical  and  eventful  in  the 
extreme.  At  its  commencement  the  English  were  traders  existing 
on  sufferance  of  the  native  princes.  At  its  close  they  were  masters 
of  Bengal  and  nf  the  greater  part  of  Southern  India.  The  author 
has  given  a  full  and  accurate  account  of  the  events  of  that  stirring 
time,  and  battles  and  sieges  follow  each  other  in  rapid  succession, 
while  he  combines  with  his  narrative  a  tale  of  daring  and  adven- 
ture, which  gives  a  lifelike  interest  to  the  volume. 

"  He  has  taken  a  period  of  Indian  history  of  the  most  vital  importance, 
and  he  has  embroidered  on  the  historical  facts  a  story  which  of  itself  is  deeply 
interesting.  Young  people  assuredly  will  be  delighted  with  the  volume.  '— 
Scotsman. 

The  Lion  of  the  North  :  A  Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  and  the 
Wars  of  Religion.     By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  full-page  Illus- 
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In  this  story  Mr.  Hen'y  gives  the  history  of  the  first  part  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War.     The  issue  had  its  importance,  which  has  ex- 
tended  to   the  present  day,  as   it   established  religious   freedom 
in  Germany.     The  army  of  the  chivalrous  king    of  Sweden  was 
largely  composed  of  Scotchmen,  and  among  these  was  the  hero  of 
the  story. 

"  The  tale  is  a  clever  and  instructive  piece  of  history,  and  as  boys  may  be 
trusted  to  read  it  conscientiously,  they  can  hardly  fail  to  be  profited.  —  1  imet. 


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The  Dragon  and  the  Raven ;  or,  The  Days  of  King  Alfred.  By 
G.  A.  HENTY.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  J.  STANI- 
LAND,  R.I.  12ino,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

In  this  story  the  author  gives  an  account  of  the  fierce  struggle 
between  Saxon  and  Dane  for  supremacy  in  Engfend,  and  presents 
a  vivid  picture  of  the  misery  and  ruin  to  which  the  country  was 
reduced  by  the  ravages  of  the  sea-wolves.  The  hero,  a  young 
Saxon  thane,  takes  part  in  all  the  battles  fought  by  King  Alfred. 
He  is  driven  from  his  home,  takes  to  the  sea  and  resists  the  Danes 
on  th^ir  own  element,  and  being  pursued  by  them  up  the  Seine, 
is  present  at  the  long  and  desperate  siege  of  Paris. 

"  Treated  in  a  manner  most  attractive  to  the  boyish  reader." — Athenceum. 

The  Young  Carthaginian :  A  Story  of  the  Times  of  Hannibal. 
By  G.  A.  HENTY.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  C.  J.  STANI- 
LAND,  R.I.  ISuio,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Boys  reading  the  history  of  the  Punic  Wars  have  seldom  a  keen 
appreciation  of  the  merits  of  the  contest.  That  it  was  at  first  a 
struggle  for  empire,  and  afterward  for  existence  on  the  part  of 
Cartliage,  that  Hannibal  was  a  great  and  skillful  general,  that  he 
defeated  the  Romans  at  Trebia,  Lake  Trasimenus,  and  Cannae, 
and  all  but  took  Rome,  represents  pretty  nearly  the  sum  total  of 
t.'ieir  knowledge.  To  let  them  know  more  about  this  momentous 
struggle  for  the  empire  of  the  world  Mr.  Henty  has  written  this 
story,  which  not  only  gives  in  graphic  style  a  brilliant  descrip- 
tion of  a  most  interesting  period  of  history,  but  is  a  tale  of  ex- 
citing adventure  sure  to  secure  the  interest  of  the  reader. 

"  Well  constructed  and  vividly  told.  From  first  to  last  nothing  stays  the 
interest  of  the  narrative.  It  bears  us  along  as  on  a  (stream  whose  current 
varies  in  direction,  but  never  loses  its  force.'1''— Saturday  Review. 

In  Freedom's  Cause  :  A  Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce.  By  G.  A. 
HENTY.  With  full  page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BUOWNE. 
12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

In  this  story  the  author  relates  the  stirring  tale  of  the  Scottish 
War  of  Independence.  The  extraordinary  valor  and  personal 
prowess  of  Wallace  and  Bruce  rival  the  deeds  of  the  mythical 
heroes  of  chivalry,  and  indeed  at  one  time  Wallace  was  ranked 
with  these  legendary  personages.  The  researches  of  modern 
historians  have  shown,  however,  that  he  was  a  living,  breathing 
man — and  a  valiant  champion.  The  hero  of  the  tale  fought  under 
both  Wallace  and  Bruce,  and  while  the  strictest  historical  accuracy 
has  been  maintained  with  respect  to  public  events,  the  work  is 
full  of  "hairbreadth  'scapes"  and  wild  adventure. 

"  It  is  written  in  the  author's  best  style.  Full  of  the  wildest  and  most  re- 
markable achievements,  it  is  a  tale  of  great  interest,  which  a  boy,  once  he  has 
begun  it,  will  not  willingly  put  on  one  side."— The  Schoolmaster, 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


With  Lee  in  Virginia :  A  Story  of  the  American  Civil  War.   By 

GK   A.   HENTY.      With    full-page    Illustrations    by   GORDON 

BROWNE.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  story  of  a  young  Virginian  planter,  who,  after  bravely 
proving  his  sympathy  with  the  slaves  of  brutal  masters,  serves 
with  no  less  courage  and  enthusiasm  under  Lee  and  Jackson 
through  the  most  exciting  events  of  the  struggle.  He  has  many 
hairbreadth  escapes,  is  several  times  wounded  and  twice  taken 
prisoner;  but  his  courage  and  readiness  and,  in  two  cases,  the 
devotion  of  a  black  servant  and  of  a  runaway  slave  whom  he  had 
assisted,  bring  him  safely  through  all  difficulties. 

"  One  of  the  best  stories  for  lads  which  Mr.  Henty  has  yet  written.  The 
picture  is  full  of  life  and  color,  and  the  stirring  and  romantic  incidents  are 
skillfully  blended  with  the  personal  interest  and  charm  of  the  story." — 
Standard. 

By  England's  Aid ;  or,  The  Freeing  of  the  Netherlands  (1585- 
1604).     By  G.   A.    HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by 
ALFRED  PEARSE,  and  Maps.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
The  story  of  two  English  lads  w  ho  go  to  Holland  as  pages  in 
the  service  of  one  of  "  the  fighting  Veres."     After  many  adven- 
tures by  sea  and  land,  one  of  the  lads  finds  himself  on  board  a 
Spanish  ship  at  the  time  of  the  defeat  of  the  Armada,  and  escapes 
only  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Corsairs.     He  is  successful  in 
getting  back  to  Spain  under  the  protection  of  a  wealthy  merchant, 
and  regains  his  native  country  after  the  capture  of  Cadiz. 

"  It  is  an  admirable  book  for  youngsters.  It  overflows  with  stirring  inci- 
dent and  exciting  adventure,  and  the  color  of  the  era  and  of  the  scene  are 
finely  reproduced.  The  illustrations  add  to  its  attractiveness."— Boston 
Gazette. 

By  Right  of  Conquest ;  or,  With  Cortez  in  Mexico.      By  G.  A. 

HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.  S.  STAGEY,  and 

Two  Maps.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.50. 

The  conquest  of  Mexico  by  a  small  band  of  resolute  men  under 
the  magnificent  leadership  of  Cortez  is  always  rightly  ranked 
among  the  most  romantic  and  daring  exploits  in  history.  With 
this  as  the  groundwork  of  his  story  Mr.  Henty  has  interwoven  the 
adventures  of  an  English  youth,  Rogrtr  Hawkshaw,  the  sole  sur- 
vivor of  the  good  ship  Swan,  which  had  sailed  from  a  Devon  port 
to  challenge  the  mercantile  supremacy  o!'  the  Spaniards  in  the 
New  World.  He  is  beset  by  many  perils  among  the  natives,  but 
is  saved  by  his  own  judgment  and  strength,  and  by  the  devotion 
of  an  Aztec  princess.  At  last  by  a  ruse  he  obtains  the  protection 
of  the  Spaniards,  and  after  the  fall  of  Mexico  he  succeeds  in  re- 
gaining his  native  shore,  with  a  fortune  and  a  charming  Aztec 
bride. 

" '  By  Right  of  Conquest '  is  the  nearest  approach  to  a  perfectly  successful 
historical  tale  that  Mr.  Henty  has  yet  published."— Academy. 


A.  L.  BUET'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


In  the  Reign  of  Terror  :  The  Adventures  of  a  Westminster  Boy. 

By  G.  A.  HENTT.      With  full-page  Illustrations  by  J.  ScHflX- 

BERG.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Harry  Sandwith,  a  Westminster  boy,  becomes  a  resident  at  the 
chateau  of  a  French  marquis,  and  after  various  adventures  accom- 
panies the  family  to  Paris  at  the  crisis  of  the  Revolution.  Im- 
prisonment and  death  reduce  their  number,  and  the  hero  finds 
himself  beset  by  perils  with  the  three  young  daughters  of  the 
1  onse  in  his  charge.  After  hairbreadth  escapes  they  reach  Nan- 
tes. There  the  girls  are  condemned  to  death  in  the  coffin-^hips, 
but  are  saved  by  the  unfailing  courage  of  their  boy  protector. 

"  Harry  Sandwith,  the  Westminster  boy,  may  fairly  be  said  to  beat  Mr. 
Henty's  record.  His  adventures  will  delight  boys  by  the  audacity  and  peril 
they  depict.  .  .  .  The  story  is  one  of  Mr.  Henty's  best."— Saturday 
.RetnVtc. 

With  Wolfe  in  Canada  ;  or,  The  Winning  of  a  Continent.  By 
G.  A.  HESTY.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  GOBDOX 
BROWNE.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

In  the  present  volume  Mr.  Henty  gives  an  account  of  the  strug- 
gle between  Britain  and  France  for  supremacy  in  the  North 
American  continent.  On  the  issue  of  this  war  depended  not  only 
the  destinies  of  North  America,  but  to  a  large  extent  those  of  the 
mother  countries  themselves.  The  fall  of  Quebec  decided  that 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race  should  predominate  in  the  New  World; 
that  Britain,  and  not  France,  should  take  the  lead  among  the 
nations  of  Europe;  and  that  English  and  American  commerce,  the 
English  language,  and  English  literature,  should  spread  right 
round  the  globe. 

"  It  is  not  only  a  lesson  hi  history  as  instructively  as  it  is  graphically  told, 
bat  also  a  deeply  interesting  and  often  thrilling  tale  of  adventure  and  peril  by 
flood  and  field."— Illustrated  London  News. 

True  to  the  Old  Flag:  A  Tale  of  the  American  War  of  Inde- 
pendence.    By  G.  A.  HENTT.    With  full-page  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.    12 mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
In  this  story  the  author  has  gone  to  the  accounts  of  officers  who 
took  part  in  the  conflict,  and  lads  will  find  that  in  no  war  in  which 
American  and  British  soldiers  have  been  engaged  did  they  behave 
with  greater  courage  and  good  conduct.     The  historical  portion  of 
the  book  being  accompanied  with  numerous  thrilling  adventures 
with  the  redskins  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Huron,  a  story  of  exciting 
interest  is  interwoven  with   the  general   narrative   and   carried 
through  the  book. 

"  Does  justice  to  the  pluck  and  determination  of  the  British  soldiers  during 
the  unfortunate  struggle  against  American  emancipation.  The  son  of  an 
American  loyalist,  who  remains  true  to  our  flag,  falls  among  the  hostile  red- 
skins in  that  very  Huron  country  which  has  been  endeared  to  us  by  the  ex- 
ploits of  Hawkeye  and  Chiogachgook/1— The  lima. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


The  Lion  of  St.  Mark :  A  Tale  of  Venice  in  the  Fourteenth 
Century.    By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by 
GORDON  BROWNE.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
A  story  of  Venice  at  a  period  when  her  strength  and  spleudor 
were  put  to  the  severest  tests.     The  hero  displays  a  fine  sense  and 
manliness  which  carry  him  safely  through  an  atmosphere  of  in- 
trigue, crime,  and  bloodshed.     He  contributes  largely  to  the  vic- 
tories of  the  Venetians  at  Porto  d'Anzo  and  Chioggia,  and  finally 
wins  the  hand  of  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  chief  men  of  Venice. 

"  Every  boy  should  read  '  The  Lion  of  St.  Mark.'  Mr.  Henry  has  never  pro- 
duced a  story  more  delightful,  more  wholesome,  or  more  vivacious." — Satur- 
day Review. 

A  Final  Reckoning:  A  Tale  of  Bush  Life  in  Australia.  By  G.  A. 

HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by  W.   B.    WOLLEN. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00, 

The  hero,  a  young  English  lad.  after  rather  a  stormy  boyhood, 
emigrates  to  Australia,  and  gets  employment  as  an  officer  in  the 
mounted  police.  A  few  years  of  active  work  on  the  frontier, 
where  he  has  many  a  brush  with  both  natives  and  bushrangers, 
gain  him  promotion  to  a  captaincy,  and  he  eventually  settles 
down  to  the  peaceful  life  of  a  squatter. 

"  Mr.  Henty  has  never  published  a  more  readable,  a  more  carefully  con- 
structed, or  a  better  written  story  than  this."— Spectator. 

Under  Drake's  Flag :  A  Tale  of  the  Spanish  Main.     By  G.  A. 

HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  story  of  the  days  when  England  and  Spain  struggled  for  the 
supremacy  of  the  sea.  The  heroes  sail  as  lads  with  Drake  in  the 
Pacific  expedition,  and  in  his  great  voyage  of  circumnavigation. 
The  historical  portion  of  the  story  is  absolutely  to  be  relied  upon, 
but  this  will  perhaps  be  less  attractive  than  the  great  variety  of 
exciting  adventure  through  which  the  young  heroes  pass  in  the 
course  of  their  voyages. 

"  A  book  of  adventure,  where  the  hero  meets  with  experience  enough,  one 
would  think,  to  turn  his  hair  gray." — Harper' '*  Monthly  Magazine. 

By  Sheer  Pluck :  A  Tale  of  the  Ashanti  War.     By  G.  A.  HENTY. 

With   full- page    Illustrations    by  GORDON    BROWNE.     12mo, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  author  has  woven,  in  a  tale  of  thrilling  interest,  all  the  de- 
tails of  the  Ashanti  campaign,  of  which  he  was  himself  a  witness. 
His  hero,  after  many  exciting  adventures  in  the  interior,  is  de- 
tained a  prisoner  by  the  king  just  before  the  outbreak  of  the  war, 
but  escapes,  and  a'ccompanies  the  English  expedition  on  their 
inarch  to  Coomassie. 

"  Mr.  Henty  keeps  up  his  reputation  as  a  writer  of  boys'  stories.  '  By  Sheer 
Pluck  '  will  be  eagerly  read."— Athenaeum. 


6  A.  L,  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

By  Pike  and  Dyke  :  A  Tale  of  the  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic. 
By  G.  A.  HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by  MAYNARD 
BROWN,  and  4  Maps.     12ino,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
In  this  story  Mr.  Henty  traces  the  adventures  and  brave  deeds 
of  an  English  boy  in  the  household  of  the  ablest  man  of  his  age — 
William  the  Silent.     Edward  Martin,  the  son  of  an  English  sea- 
captain,  enters  the  service  of  the  Prince  as  a  volunteer,  and  is  em- 
ployed by  him  in  many  dangerous  and  responsible  missions,  in  the 
discharge  of  which  he  passes  through  the  great  sieges  of  the  time. 
He  ultimately  settles  down  as  Sir  Edward  Martin. 

"  Boys  with  a  turn  for  historical  research  will  be  enchanted  with  the  book, 
while  the  rest  who  only  care  for  adventure.will  be  students  in  spite  of  them- 
selves."— St.  James'  Gazette. 

St.  George  for  England  :  A  Tale  of  Cressy  and  Poitiers.  By 
G.  A.  HENTY.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON 
BROWNS.  12rno,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

No  portion  of  English  history  is  more  crowded  with  great  events 
than  that  of  the  reign  of  Edward  III.  Cressy  and  Poitiers;  the 
destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet;  the  plague  of  the  Black  Death; 
tte  Jacquerie  rising;  these  are  treated  by  the  author  in  "  St. 
George  for  England."  The  hero  of  the  story,  although  of  good 
family,  begins  life  as  a  London  apprentice,  but  after  countless  ad. 
ventures  and  perils  becomes  by  valor  and  good  conduct  the  squire, 
and  at  last  the  trusted  friend  of  the  Black  Prince. 

"  Mr.  Henty  has  de  veloped  for  himself  a  type  of  historical  novel  for  boys 
which  bids  fair  to  supplement,  on  their  behalf,  the  historical  labors  of  Sir 
Walter  Scott  in  the  land  of  fiction."— The  Standard. 

Captain's  Kidd's  Gold:  The  True  Story  of  an  Adventurous  Sailor 
Boy.  By  JAMES  FRANKLIN  FITTS.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
There  is  something  fascinating  to  the  average  youth  in  tlievery 
idea  of  buried  treasure.  A  vision  arises  before  his  eyes  of  swarthy 
Portuguese  and  Spanish  rascals,  with  black  beards  and  gleaming 
eyes — sinister-looking  fellows  who  once  on  a  time  haunted  the 
Spanish  Main,  sneaking  out  from  some  hidden  creek  in  their  long, 
low  schooner,  of  picaroonish  rake  and  sheer,  to  attack  an  unsus- 
pecting trading  craft.  There  were  many  famous  sea  rovers  in 
their  day,  but  none  more  celebrated  than  Capt.  Kidd.  Perhaps 
the  most  fascinating  tale  of  all  is  Mr.  Fitts'  true  story  of  an  adven 
turous  American  boy,  who  receives  from  his  dying  father  an 
ancient  bit  of  vellum,  which  the  latter  obtained  in  a  curious  way. 
The  document  bears  obscure  directions  purporting  to  locate  a  cer- 
tain island  in  the  Bahama  group,  and  a  considerable  treasure 
buried  there  by  two  of  Kidd's  crew.  The  hero  of  this  book, 
Paul  Jones  Garry,  is  an  ambitious,  persevering  lad,  of  salt-water 
New  England  ancestry,  and  his  efforts  to  reach  the  island  and 
secure  the  money  form  one  of  the  most  absorbing  tales  for  our 
youth  that  has  come  from  the  press. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Captain  Bayley's  Heir :  A  Tale  of  the  Gold  Fields  of  California. 

By  G.    A.   HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by  H.   M. 

PAGET.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  frank,  manly  lad  and  his  cousin  are  rivals  in  the  heirship'of  a 
considerable  property.  The  former  falls  into  a  trap  laid  by  the 
latter,  and  while  under  a  false  accusation  of  theft  foolishly  leaves 
England  for  America.  He  works  his  passage  before  the  mast, 
joins  a  small  band  of  hunters,  crosses  a  tract  of  country  infested 
with  Indians  to  the  Californian  gold  diggings,  and  is  successful 
both  as  digger  and  trader. 

"Mr.  Henty  is  careful  to  mingle  instruction  with  entertainment;  and  the 
humorous  touches,  especially  in  the  sketch  of  John  Holl,  the  Westminster 
dustman,  Dickens  himself  could  hardly  have  excelled."— Christian  Leader. 

For  Name  and  Fame  ;  or,  Through  Afghan  Passes.      By  G.  A. 

HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

An  interesting  story  of  the  last  war  in  Afghanistan.  The  hero, 
after  being  wrecked  and  going  through  many  stirring  adventures 
among  the  Malays,  finds  his  way  to  Calcutta  and  enlists  in  a  regi- 
ment proceeding  to  join  the  army  at  the  Afghan  passes.  He  ac- 
companies the  force  under  General  Roberts  to  the  Peiwar  Kotal, 
is  wounded,  taken  prisoner,  carried  to  Cabul,  whence  he  is  trans- 
ferred to  Candahar,  and  takes  part  in  the  final  defeat  of  the  army 
of  Ayoub  Khan. 

"The  best  feature  of  the  book— apart  from  the  interest  of  its  scenes  of  ad- 
venture—is its  honest  effort  to  do  justice  to  the  patriotism  of  the  Afghan 
people." — Daily  News. 

Captured  by  Apes  :  The  Wonderful  Adventures  of  a  Young 
Animal  Trainer.  By  HARRY  PRENTICE.  12mo,  cloth,  $1.00. 
The  scene  of  this  tale  is  laid  on  an  island  in  the  Malay  Archi- 
pelago. Philip  Garland,  a  young  animal  collector  and  trainer,  of 
New  York,  sets  sail  for  Eastern  seas  in  quest  of  a  new  stock  of 
living  curiosities.  The  vessel  is  wrecked  off  the  coast  of  Borneo 
and  young  Garland,  the  sole  survivor  of  the  disaster,  is  cast  ashore 
on  a  small  island,  and  captured  by  the  apes  that  overrun  the 
place.  The  lad  discovers  that  the  ruling  spirit  of  the  monkey 
tribe  is  a  gigantic  and  vicious  baboon,  whom  he  identifies  as 
Goliah,  an  animal  at  one  time  in  his  possession  and  with  whose 
instruction  he  had  been  especially  diligent.  The  brute  recognizes 
him,  and  with  a  kind  of  malignant  satisfaction  puts  his  former 
master  through  the  same  course  of  training  he  had  himself  ex- 
perienced with  a  faithfulness  of  detail  which  shows  how  astonish- 
ing is  monkey  recollection.  Very  novel  indeed  is  the  way  by 
which  the  young  man  escapes  death.  Mr.  Prentice  has  certainly 
worked  a  new  vein  on  juvenile  fiction,  and  the  ability  with  which 
he  handles  a  difficult  subject  stamps  him  as  a  writer  of  undoubted 
skill. 


8  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Bravest  of  the  Brave;  or,  With  Peterborough    in  Spain. 

By  Q.   A.    HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustrations  by   H.    M. 

PAGET.    12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

There  are  few  great  leaders  whose  lives  and  actions  have  so 
completely  fallen  into  oblivion  as  those  of  the  Earl  of  Peter- 
borough. This  is  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  they  were  over- 
shadowed by  the  glory  and  successes  of  Marlborough.  His  career 
as  general  extended  over  little  more  than  a  year,  and  yet,  in  that 
time,  he  showed  a  genius  for  warfare  which  has  never  been  sur- 
passed. 

"  Mr.  Henty  never  loses  sight  of  the  moral  purpose  of  his  work— to  enforce 
the  doctrine  of  courage  and  truth.  Lads  will  read  '  The  Bravest  of  the  Brave  ' 
with  pleasure  and  profit;  of  that  we  are  quite  sure."— Daily  Telegraph. 

The  Cat  of  Bubastes  :  A  Story  of  Ancient  Egypt.     By  Q.  A. 

HENTY.  With  full-page  Illustrations.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  story  which  will  give  young  readers  an  unsurpassed  insight 
into  the  customs  of  the  Egyptian  people.  Amuba,  a  prince  of  the 
Rebu  nation,  is  carried  with  his  charioteer  Jethro  into  slavery. 
They  become  inmates  of  the  house  of  Aineres,  the  Egyptian  high- 
priest,  and  are  happy  in  his  service  until  the  priest's  son  acci- 
dentally kills  the  sacred  cat  of  Bubastes.  In  an  outburst  of  popular 
fury  Ameres  is  killed,  and  it  rests  with  Jethro  and  Amuba  to 
secure  the  escape  of  the  high-priest's  son  and  daughter. 

"  The  story,  from  the  critical  moment  of  the  killing  of  the  sacred  cat  to  the 
perilous  exodus  into  Asia  with  which  it  closes,  is  very  skillfully  constructed 
and  full  of  exciting  adventures.  It  is  admirably  illustrated."— Saturday 
Review. 

With  Washington  at  Monmouth  :  A  Story  of  Three  Phila- 
delphia Boys.  By  JAMES  OTIS.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
Three  Philadelphia  boys,  Seth  Qraydon  "  whose  mother  con- 
ducted a  boarding-house  which  was  patronized  by  the  British 
officers;"  Enoch  Ball,  "son  of  that  Mrs.  Ball  whose  dancing 
school  was  situated  on  Letitia  Street,"  and  little  Jacob,  son  of 
••  Chris,  the  Baker,"  serve  as  the  principal  characters.  The 
story  is  laid  during  the  winter  when  Lord  Howe  held  possession 
of  the  city,  and  the  lads  aid  the  cause  by  assisting  the  American 
spies  who  make  regular  and  frequent  visits  from  Valley  Forge. 
One  reads  here  of  home-life  in  the  captive  city  when  bread  was 
scarce  among  the  people  of  the  lower  classes,  and  a  reckless  prodi- 
gality shown  by  the  British  officers,  who  passed  the  winter  in 
feasting  and  merry-making  while  the  members  of  the  patriot  army 
but  a  few  miles  away  were  suffering  from  both  cold  and  hunger. 
The  story  abounds  with  pictures  of  Colonial  life  skillfully 
drawn,  and  the  glimpses  of  Washington's  soldiers  which  are  given 
show  that  the  work  has  not  been  hastily  done,  or  without  con- 
siderable study. 


A.  L.  HURTS  PUBLICATIONS.  9 

For  the  Temple:  A  Tale  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem.     By  G.  A. 

HENTY.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  S.  J.  SOLOMON.  12ino, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

.  Mr.  Henty  here  weaves  into  the  record  of  Josephus  an  admirable 
and  attractive  story.  The  troubles  in  the  district  of  Tiberias,  the 
march  of  the  legions,  the  sieges  of  Jotapata,  of  Gamala,  and  of 
Jerusalem,  form  the  impressive  and  carefully  studied  historic 
setting  to  the  figure  of  the  lad  who  passes  from  the  vineyard  to 
the  service  of  Josephus,  becomes  the  leader  of  a  guerrilla  band  of 
patriots,  fights  bravely  for  the  Temple,  and  after  a  brief  term  of 
slavery  at  Alexandria,  returns  to  his  Galilean  home  with  the  favor 
of  Titus. 

"  Mr.  Henty's  graphic  prose  pictures  of  the  hopeless  Jewish  resistance  to 
Roman  sway  add  another  leaf  to  his  record  of  the  famous  wars~bf  the  world." 
— Graphic. 

Facing  Death ;  or,  The  Hero  of  the  Vaughan  Pit.     A  Tale  of 
the  Coal  Mines.     By  G.   A.   HENTY.     With  full-page  Illustra- 
tions by  GORDON  BROWNE.     12ino,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
"  Facing  Death  "  is  a  story  with  a  purpose.     It  is  intended  to 
show  that  a  lad  who  makes  up  his  mind  firmly  and  resolutely  that 
he  will  rise  in  life,  and  who  is  prepared  to  face  toil  and  ridicule 
and  hardship  to  carry  out  his  determination,  is  sure  to  succeed. 
The  hero  of  the  story  is  a  typical    British   boy,  dogged,  earnest, 

fenerous,  and  though  "  shamefaced"  to  a  degree,  is  ready  to  face 
eath  in  the  discharge  of  duty. 

"  The  tale  is  well  written  and  well  illustrated,  and  there  is  much  reality  in 
the  characters.  If  any  father,  clergyman,  or  schoolmaster  is  on  the  lookout 
for  a  good  book  to  give  as  a  present  to  a  boy  who  is  worth  his  salt,  this  is  the 
book  we  would  recommend."— Standard. 

Tom  Temple's  Career.    By  HORATIO   ALGER.    12mo,  cloth, 

price  $1.00. 

Tom  Temple,  a  bright,  self-reliant  lad,  by  the  death  of  his 
father  becomes  a  boarder  at  the  home  of  Nathan  Middleton,  a 
penurious  insurance  agent.  Though  well  paid  for  keeping  the 
boy,  Nathan  and  his  wife  endeavor  to  bring  Master  Tom  in  line 
with  their  parsimonious  habits.  The  lad  ingeniously  evades  their 
efforts  and  revolutionizes  the  household.  As  Tom  is  heir  to 
$40,000,  he  is  regarded  as  a  person  of  some  importance  until  by 
an  unfortunate  combination  of  circumstances  his  fortune  shrinks 
to  a  few  hundreds.  He  leaves  Plympton  village  to  seek  work  in 
New  York,  whence  he  undertakes  an  important  mission  to  Cali- 
fornia, around  which  center  the  most  exciting  incidents  of  his 
young  career.  Some  of  his  adventures  in  the  far  west  are  so 
startling  that  the  reader  will  scarcely  close  the  book  until  the  last 
page  shall  have  been  reached.  The  tale  is  written  in  Mr.  Alger's 
most  fascinating  style,  and  is  bound  to  please  the  very  large  class 
of  boys  who  regard  this  popular  author  as  a  prime  favorite. 


10  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

Maori  and  Settler:  A  Story  of  the  New  Zealand  War.  By 
G.  A.  HENTY.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  ALFRED  PEARSE. 
12uio,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  Renshaws  emigrate  to  New  Zealand  during  the  peiiod  of 
the  war  with  the  natives.  Wilfrid,  a  strong,  self-reliant,  coura- 
geous lad,  is  the  mainstay  of  the  household.  He  has  for  his  friend 
Mr.  Atherton,  a  botanist  and  naturalist  of  herculean  strength  and 
unfailing  nerve  and  humor.  In  the  adventures  among  the  Maoris, 
there  are  many  breathless  moments  in  which  the  odds  seem  hope- 
lessly against  the  party,  but  they  succeed  in  establishing  them- 
selves happily  in  one  of  the  pleasant  New  Zealand  valleys. 

"Brimful  of  adventure,  of  humorous  and  interesting  conversation,  and 
vivid  pictures  of  colonial  life."— Schoolmaster. 

Julian  Mortimer}:  A  Brave  Boy's  Struggle  for  Home  and  Fortune. 

By  HARRY  CASTLEMON.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Here  is  a  story  that  will  warm  every  boy's  heart.  There  is 
mastery  enough  to  keep  any  lad's  imagination  wound  up  to  the 
highest  pitch.  The  scene  of  the  story  lies  west  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  in  the  days  when  emigrants  made  their  perilous  way  across 
the  great  plains  to  the  land  of  gold.  One  of  the  startling  features 
of  the  book  is  the  attack  upon  the  wagon  train  by  a  large  party  of 
Indians.  Our  hero  is  a  led  of  uncommon  nerve  and  pluck,  a  brave 
young  American  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  He  enlists  and  holds 
the  reader's  sympathy  from  the  outset.  Surrounded  by  an  un- 
known and  constant  peril,  and  assisted  by  the  unswerving  fidelity 
of  a  stalwart  trapper,  a  real  rough  diamond,  our  hero  achieves  the 
most  happy  results.  Harry  Castlemon  has  written  many  enter- 
taining stories  for  boys,  and  it  would  seem  almost  superfluous  to 
say  anything  in  his  praise,  for  the  youth  of  America  regard  him 
as  a  favorite  author. 

"Carrots:"  Just  a  Little  Boy.     By  MRS.  MOLESWORTH.     With 
Illustrations  by  WALTER  CRANE.     12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"  One  of  the  cleverest  and  most  pleasing  stories  it  has  been  our  good  for- 
tune to  meet  with  for  some  time.  Carrots  and  his  sister  are  delightful  little 
beings,  whom  to  read  about  is  at  once  to  become  very  fond  of."— Examiner. 

"A  genuine  children's  book;  we've  seen  'em  seize  it,  and  read  it  greedily. 
Children  are  first-rate  critics,  and  thoroughly  appreciate  Walter  Crane's 
illustrations. '  ''—Punch.. 

Mopsa  the  Fairy.     By  JEAN  INGELOW.     With  Eight  page 
Illustrations.     12rno,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"  Mrs.  Ingelow  is,  to  our  mind,  the  most  charming  of  all  living  writers  for 
children,  and  '  Mopsa '  alone  ought  to  give  her  a  kind  of  pre-emptive  right  to 
the  love  and  gratitude  of  our  young  folks.  It  requires  genius  to  conceive  a 
purely  imaginary  work  which  must  of  necessity  deal  with  the  supernatural, 
without  running  into  a  mere  riot  of  fantastic  absurdity;  but  genius  Miss  In- 
gelow has  and  the  story  of  'Jack '  is  as  careless  and  joyous,  but  as  delicate, 
as  a  picture  of  childhood."— Eclectic. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  11 

A  Jaunt  Through  Java :  The  Story  of  a  Journey  to  the  Sacred 
Mountain.  By  EDWARD  S.  ELLIS.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
The  central  interest  of  this  story  is  found  in  the  thrilling  ad- 
ventures  of  two  cousins,  Hermon  and  Eustace  Hadley,  on  their 
trip  across  the  island  of  Java,  from  Samarang  to  the  Sacred  Moun- 
tain. In  a  land  where  the  Royal  Bengal  tiger  runs  at  large; 
where  the  rhinoceros  and  other  fierce  beasts  are  to  be  met  with 
at  unexpected  moments;  it  is  but  natural  that  the  heroes  of  this 
book  should  have  a  lively  experience.  Herinon  not  only  dis- 
tinguishes himself  by  killing  a  full-grown  tiger  at  short  range, 
but  meets  with  the  most  startling  adventure  of  the  journey. 
There  is  much  in  this  narrative  to  instruct  as  well  a-  entertain  the 
reader,  and  so  deftly  has  Mr.  Ellis  used  his  material  that  there  is 
not  a  dull  page  in  the  book.  The  two  heroes  are  brave,  manly 
young  fellows,  bubbling  over  with  boyish  independence.  They 
cope  with  the  many  difficulties  that  arise  during  the  trip  in  a  fear- 
less way  that  is  bound  to  win  the  admiration  of  every  lad  who  is 
so  fortunate  as  to  read  their  adventures. 

Wrecked  on  Spider  Island;  or,  How  Ned  Rogers  Found  the 

Treasure.     By  JAMES  OTIS.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  "down-east"  plucky  lad  who  ships  as  cabin  boy,  not  from 
love  of  adventure,  but  because  it  is  the  only  course  remaining  by 
which  he  can  gain  a  livelihood.  While  in  his  bunk,  seasick, 
Ned  Rogers  hears  the  captain  and  mate  discussing  their  plans  for 
the  willful  wreck  of  the  brig  in  order  to  gain  the  insurance.  Once 
it  is  known  he  is  in  possession  of  the  secret  the  captain  maroons 
him  on  Spider  Island,  explaining  to  the  crew  that  the  boy  is 
afflicted  with  leprosy.  While  thus  in  voluntarily  playing  the  part 
of  a  Crusoe,  Ned  discovers  a  wreck  submerged  in  the  sand,  and 
overhauling  the  timbers  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  material 
with  which  to  build  a  hut  finds  a  considerable  amount  of  treasure. 
Raising  the  wreck;  a  voyage  to  Havana  under  sail;  shipping  there 
a  crew  and  running  for  Savannah;  the  attempt  of  the  crew  to 
seize  the  little  craft  after  learning  of  the  treasure  on  board,  and, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  the  successful  ending  of  the  journey,  all 
serve  to  make  as  entertaining  a  story  of  sea-life  as  the  most 
captious  boy  could  desire. 
Geoff  and  Jim :  A  Story  of  School  Life.  By  ISMAY  THORN.  II 

lustrated  by  A.  G.  WALKER.     12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"  This  is  a  prettily  told  story  of  the  life  spent  by  two  motherless  bairns  at 
a  small  preparatory  school.  Both  Geoff  and  Jim  are  very  lovable  characters, 
only  Jim  is  the  more  so;  and  the  scrapes  he  gets  into  and  the  trials  he  en- 
dures will,  no  doubt,  interest  a  large  circle  of  young  readers."— Church 

"This  is  a  capital  children's  story,  the  characters  well  portrayed,  and  the 
book  tastefully  bound  and  well  illustrated."— Schoolmaster. 

"The  story  can  be  heartily  recommended  as  a  present  for  boys.  - 
Standard. 


12  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Castaways ;  or,  On  the  Florida  Reefs.    By  JAMES  OTia 

12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

This  tale  smacks  of  the  salt  sea.  It  is  just  the  kind  of  story 
that  the  majority  of  boys  yearn  for.  From  the  moment  that  the 
Sea  Queen  dispenses  with  the  services  of  the  tug  in  lower  New 
York  bay  till  the  breeze  leaves  her  becalmed  off  the  coast  of 
Florida,  one  can  almost  hear  the  whistle  of  the  wind  through  her 
rigging,  the  creak  of  her  straining  cordage  as  she  heels  to  the 
leeward,  and  feel  her  rise  to  the  snow-capped  waves  which  her 
sharp  bow  cats  into  twin  streaks  of  foam.  Off  Marquesas  Keys 
she  floats  in  a  dead  calm.  Ben  Clark,  the  hero  of  the  story,  and 
Jake,  the  cook,  spy  a  turtle  asleep  upon  the  glassy  surface  of  the 
water.  They  determine  to  capture  him,  and  take  a  boat  for  that 
purpose,  and  just  as  they  succeed  in  catching  him  a  thick  fog 
cuts  them  off  from  the  vessel,  and  then, their  troubles  be.in. 
They  take  refuge  on  board  a  drifting  hulk,  a  storm  arises  and  they 
are  cast  ashore  upon  a  low  sandy  key.  Their  adventures  from 
this  point  cannot  fail  to  charm  the  reader.  As  a  writer  for  young 
people  Mr.  Otis  is  a  prime  favorite.  His  style  is  captivating,  and 
never  for  a  moment  does  he  allow  the  interest  to  flag.  In  "  The 
Castaways  "  he  is  at  his  best. 

Tom  Thatcher's  Fortune.    By  HORATIO  ALGER,  Ji*.    12mc, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Like  all  of  Mr.  Alger's  heroes,  Tom  Thatcher  is  a  brave,  am- 
bitious, unselfish  boy.  He  supports  his  mother  and  sister  on 
meager  wages  earned  as  a  shoe-pegger  in  John  Simpson's  factory. 
The  story  begins  with  Tom's  discharge  from  the  factory,  because 
Mr.  Simpson  felt  annoyed  with  the  lad  for  interrogating  him  too 
closely  aboat  his  missing  father.  A  few  days  afterward  Tom 
learns  that  which  induces  him  to  start  overland  for  California  with 
the  view  of  probing  the  family  mystery.  He  meets  with  many  ad- 
ventures. Ultimately  he  returns  to  his  native  village,  bringing  con- 
sternation to  the  soul  of  John  Simpson,  who  only  escapes  the  con- 
sequences of  his  villainy  by  making  full  restitution  to  the  man 
whose  friendship  he  had  betrayed.  The  story  is  told  in  that  en- 
tertaining way  whicli  has  made  Mr.  Alger's  name  a  household 
word  in  so  many  homes. 

Birdie :  A  Tale  of  Child  Life.    By  H.  L.  CHILDE-PEMBERTON. 
Illustrated  by  H.  W.  RAINEY.     12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"  The  story  is  quaint  and  simple,  but  there  is  a  freshness  about  it  that 
makes  one  hear  again  the  ringing  laugh  and  the  cheery  shout  of  children  at 
play  which  charmed  his  earlier  years. " — New  York  Express. 

Popular  Fairy  Tales.     By  the  BROTHERS  GRIMM     Profusely 
Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  From  first  to  last,  almost  without  exception,  these  stories  are  delightful." 
-•dthcnoeum. 


A.  L.  BtJRT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 13 

With  Lafayette  at  Yorktown :  A  Story  of  How  Two  Boys 
Joined  the  Continental  Army.  By  JAMES  OTIS.  12mo,  cloth, 
price  $1.00. 

The  two  boys  are  from  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  and  are  introduced 
in  August,  1781 ,  when  on  the  point  of  leaving  home  to  enlist  in 
Col.  Scamuiell's  regiment,  then  stationed  near  New  York  City. 
Their  method  of  traveling  is  on  horseback,  and  the  author  has 
given  an  interesting  account  of  what  was  expected  from  boys  in 
the  Colonial  days.  The  lads,  after  no  slight  amount  of  adventure, 
are  sent  as  messengers — not  soldiers — into  the  south  to  find  the 
troops  under  Lafayette.  Once  with  that  youthful  general  they 
are  given  employment  as  spies,  and  enter  the  British  camp, 
bringing  away  valuable  information.  The  pictures  of  camp-life 
are  carefully  drawn,  and  the  portrayal  of  Lafayette's  character  is 
thoroughly  well  done.  The  story  is  wholesome  in  tone,  as  are  all 
of  Mr.  Otis'  works.  There  is  no  lack  of  exciting  incident  which 
the  youthful  reader  craves,  but  it  is  healthful  excitement  brim- 
ming with  facts  which  every  boy  should  be  familiar  with,  and 
while  the  reader  is  following  the  adventures  of  Ben  Jaffreys  and 
Ned  Allen  he  is  acquiring  a  fund  of  historical  lore  which  will 
remain  in  his  memory  long  after  that  which  he  has  memorized 
from  text-books  has  been  forgotten. 

Lost  in  the  Canon  :  Sain  Willett's   Adventures  on  the  Great 

Colorado.     By  ALFRED  R.  CALHOUN.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

This  story  hinges  on  a  fortune  left  to  Sam  Willett,  the  hero, 
and  the  fact  that  it  will  pass  to  a  disreputable  relative  if  the  lad 
dies  before  he  shall  have  reached  his  majority.  The  Vigilance 
Committee  of  Hurley's  Gulch  arrest  Sam's  father  and  an  associate 
for  the  crime  of  murder.  Their  lives  depend  on  the  production 
of  the  receipt  given  for  money  paid.  This  is  in  Sam's  possession 
at  the  camp  on  the  other  side  of  the  canon.  A  messenger  is  dis- 
patched to  get  it.  He  reaches  the  lad  in  the  midst  of  a  fearful 
storm  which  floods  the  canon.  His  father's  peril  urges  Sam  to 
action.  A  raft  is  built  on  which  the  boy  and  his  friends  essay  to 
cross  the  torrent.  They  fail  to  do  so,  and  a  desperate  trip  down 
the  stream  ensues.  How  the  party  finally  escape  from  the  hor- 
rors of  their  situation  and  Sam  reaches  Hurley's  Gulch  in  the  very 
nick  of  time,  is  described  in  a  graphic  style  that  stamps  Mr.  Cal- 
houn  as  a  master  of  his  art. 
Jack:  A  Topsy  Turvy  Story.  By  C.  M.  CKAWLEY-BOEVEV 

With    upward  of  Thirty   Illustrations  by  H.   J.   A.    MILES 

12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

"The  illustrations  deserve  particular  mention,  as  they  add  largely  to  thj 
Interest  of  this  amusing  volume  for  children.  Jack  falls  asleep  with  his  min.l 
full  of  the  subject  of  the  fishpond,  and  is  very  much  surprised  presently  to 
find  himself  an  inhabitant  of  Waterworld,  where  he  goes  though  wonderful 
and  edifying  adventures.  A  handsome  and  pleasant  book.  "—Literary  Woria, 


14  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

Search  for  the  Silver  City  :  A  Tale    of  Adventure  in  Yucatan. 

By  JAMES  OTIS.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Two  American  lads,  Teddy  Wright  and  Neal  Emery,  embark 
on  the  steam  yacht  Day  Dream  for  a  short  summer  cruise  to  the 
tropics.  Homeward  bound  the  yacht  is  destroyed  by  fire.  All 
hands  take  to  the  boats,  but  during  the  night  the  boat  is  cast  upon 
the  coast  of  Yucatan.  They  come  across  a  young  American 
named  Cummings,  who  entertains  them  with  the  story  of  the 
wonderful  Silver  City,  of  the  Chan  Santa  Cruz  Indians.  Cum- 
mings proposes  with  the  aid  of  a  faithful  Indian  ally  to  brave 
the  perils  of  the  swamp  and  carry  off  a  number  of  the  golden 
images  from  the  temples.  Pursued  with  relentless  vigor  for  days 
their  situation  is  desperate.  At  last  their  escape  is  effected  in  an 
astonishing  manner.  Mr.  Otis  has  built  his  story  on  an  historical 
foundation.  It  is  so  full  of  exciting  incidents  that  the  reader  is 
quite  carried  away  with  the  novelty  and  realism  of  the  narrative. 

Frank  Fowler,  the  Cash  Boy.  By  HORATIO  ALGER,  JR.  12mo, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Thrown  upon  his  own  resources  Frank  Fowler,  a  poor  boy, 
bravely  determines  to  make  a  living  for  himself  and  his  foster- 
sister  Grace.  Going  to  New  York  he  obtains  a  situation  as  cash 
boy  in  a  dry  goods  store.  He  renders  a  service  to  a  wealthy  old 
gentleman  named  Wharton,  who  takes  a  fancy  to  the  lad.  Frank, 
after  losing  his  place  as  cash  boy,  is  enticed  by  an  enemy  to  a 
lonesome  part  of  New  Jersey  and  held  a  prisoner.  This  move  re- 
coils upon  the  plotter,  for  it  leads  to  a  clue  that  enables  the  lad  to 
establish  his  real  identity.  Mr.  Alger's  stories  are  not  only  un- 
usually interesting,  but  they  convey  a  useful  lesson  of  pluck  and 
manly  independence. 

Budd  Boyd's  Triumph';  or,  the  Boy  Firm  of  Fox  Island.  By 
WILLIAM  P.  CHTPMAN.  1.2mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
The  scene  of  this  story  is  laid  on  the  upper  part  of  Narragansett 
Bay,  and  the  leading  incidents  have  a  strong  salt-water  flavor. 
Owing  to  the  conviction  of  his  father  for  forgery  and  theft,  Budd 
Boyd  is  compelled  to  leave  his  home  and  strike  out  for  himself. 
Chance  brings  Budd  in  contact  with  Judd  Floyd.  The  two  boys, 
being  ambitious  and  clear  sighted,  form  a  partnership  to  catch 
and  sell  fish.  The  scheme  is  successfully  launched,  but  the  un- 
expected appearance  on  the  scene  of  Thomas  Bagsley,  the  man 
whom  Budd  believes  guilty  of  the  crimes  attributed  to  his  father, 
leads  to  several  disagreeable  complications  that  nearly  caused  the 
lad's  ruin.  His  pluck  and  good  sense,  however,  carry  him  through 
his  troubles.  In  following  the  career  of  the  boy  firm  of  Boyd  & 
Floyd,  the  youthful  reader  will  find  a  useful  lesson — that  industry 
and  perseverance  aro  bound  to  lead  to  ultimate  success. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  16 

The  Errand  Boy ;  or,  How  Phil  Brent  Won  Success.  By 
HORATIO  ALGER,  JR.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
The  career  of  "  The  Errand  Boy"  embraces  the  city  adventures 
of  a  smart  country  lad  who  at  an  early  age  was  abandoned  by  his 
father.  Philip  was  brought  up  by  a  kind-hearted  innkeeper 
named  Brent.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Brent  paved  the  way  for  the 
hero's  subsequent  troubles.  Accident  introduces  him  to  the 
notice  of  a  retired  merchant  in  New  York,  who  not  only  secures 
him  the  situation  of  errand  boy  but  thereafter  stands  as  his 
friend.  An  unexpected  turn  of  fortune's  wheel,  however,  brings 
Philip  and  his  father  together.  In  "The  Errand  Boy"  Philip 
Brent  is  possessed  of  the  same  sterling  qualities  so  conspicuous  in 
all  of  the  previous  creations  of  this  delightful  writer  for  our  youth. 

The  Slate  Picker  :  The  Story  of  a  Boy's  Life  in  the  Coal  Mines. 

By  HARRY  PRENTICE.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

This  is  a  story  of  a  boy's  life  in  the  coal  mines  of  Pennsylvania. 
There  are  many  thrilling  situations,  notably  that  of  Ben  Burton's 
leap  into  the  "  lion's  mouth  " — the  yawning  shute  in  the  breakers 
— to  escape  a  beating  at  the  hands  of  the  savage  Spilkins,  the 
overseer.  Gracie  Gordon  is  a  little  angel  in  rags,  Terence  O'Dowd 
is  a  manly,  sympathetic  lad,  and  Enoch  Evans,  the  miner-poet,  is 
a  big-hearted,  honest  fellow,  a  true  friend  to  all  whose  bur- 
dens seem  too  heavy  for  them  to  bear.  Ben  Burton,  the  hero,  had 
a  hard  road  to  travel,  but  by  grit  and  energy  he  advanced  step  by 
step  until  he  found  himself  called  upon  to  fill  the  position  of 
chief  engineer  of  the  Kohinoor  Coal  Company. 

A   Runaway  Brig  ;  or,  An  Accidental  Cruise.    By  JAMES  OTIS. 

ISrno,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  A  Runaway  Brig  "  is  a  sea  tale,  pure  and  simple,  and  that's 
where  it  strikes  a  boy's  fancy.  The  reader  can  look  out  upon 
the  wide  shimmering  sea  as  it  flashes  back  the  sunlight,  and 
imagine  himself  afloat  with  Harry  Vandyne,  Walter  Morse,  Jim 
Libby  and  that  old  shell-back,  Bob  Brace,  on  the  brig  Bonita, 
which  lands  on  one  of  the  Bahama  keys.  Finally  three  strangers 
steal  the  craft,  leaving  the  rightful  owners  to  shift  for  themselves 
aboard  a  broken-down  tug.  The  boys  discover  a  mysterious 
document  which  enables  them  to  find  a  buried  treasure,  then  a 
storm  comes  on  and  the  tug  is  stranded.  At  last  a  yacht  comes  in 
sight  and  the  party  with  the  treasure  is  taken  off  the  lonely  key. 
The  most  exacting  youth  is  sure  to  be  fascinated  with  this  enter- 
taining story. 

Fairy  Tales  and  Stories.    By  HANS  CHRISTIAN  ANDERSEN. 

Profusely  Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  If  I  were  asked  to  select  a  child's  library  I  should  name  these  three  volumes 
'English,1  '  Celtic,1  and  'Indian  Fairy  Tales,'  with  Grimm  and  Hans  Ander- 
sen's Fairy  Tales."— independent. 


16  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Island  Treasure ;  or,  Harry  Darrel's  Fortune.     By  FRANK 

H.  CONVERSE.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $  1.00. 

Harry  Darrel,  an  orphan,  having  received  a  nautical  training  on 
a  school-ship,  is  bent  on  going  to  sea  with  a  boyish  acquaintance 
named  Dan  Plunket.  A  runaway  horse  changes  his  prospects. 
Harry  saves  Dr.  Gregg  from  drowning  and  the  doctor  presents  his 
preserver  with  a  bit  of  property  known  as  Gregg's  Island,  and 
makes  the  lad  sailing-master  of  his  sloop  yacht.  A  piratical  hoard 
is  supposed  to  be  hidden  somewhere  on  the  island.  After  much 
search  and  many  thwarted  plans,  at  last  Dan  discovers  the 
treasure  and  is  the  means  of  finding  Harry's  father.  Mr.  Con- 
verse's stories  possess  a  charm  of  their  own  which  is  appreciated 
by  lads  who  delight  in  good  healthy  tales  that  smack  of  salt 
water. 

The  Boy  Explorers:  The  Adventures  of  Two  Boys  in  Alaska. 

By  HARRY  PRENTICE.     I2mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Two  boys,  Raymond  and  Spencer  Manning,  travel  from  San 
Francisco  to  Alaska  to  join  their  father  in  search  of  their  uncle, 
who,  it  is  believed,  was  captured  and  detained  by  the  inhabitants 
of  a  place  called  the  "  Heart  of  Alaska."  On  their  arrival  at 
Sitka  the  boys  with  an  Indian  guide  set  off  across  the  mountains. 
The  trip  is  fraught  with  perils  that  test  the  lads'  courage  to  the 
utmost.  Reaching  the  Yukon  River  they  build  a  raft  and  float 
down  the  stream,  entering  the  Mysterious  River,  from  which  they 
barely  escape  with  their  lives,  only  to  be  captured  by  natives  of 
the  Heart  of  Alaska.  All  through  their  exciting  adventures  the 
lads  demonstrate  what  can  be  accomplished  by  pluck  and  resolu- 
tion, and  their  experience  makes  one  of  the  most  interesting  tales 
ever  written. 

The  Treasure  Finders  :  A  Boy's  Adventures  in  Nicaragua.     By 

JAMES  OTIS.     ISrno,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Roy  and  Dean  Coloney,  with  their  guide  Tongla,  leave  their 
father's  indigo  plantation  to  visit  the  wonderful  ruins  of  an  ancient 
city.  The  boys  eagerly  explore  the  dismantled  temples  of  an  ex- 
tinct race  and  discover  three  golden  images  cunningly  hidden 
away.  They  escape  with  the  greatest  difficulty;  by  taking  advan- 
tage of  a  festive  gathering  they  seize  a  canoe  and  fly  down  the 
river.  Eventually  they  reach  safety  with  their  golden  prizes. 
Mr.  Otis  is  the  prince  of  story  tellers,  for  he  handles  his  material 
with  consummate  skill.  We  doubt  if  he  has  ever  written  a  more 
entertaining  story  than  "  The  Treasure  Finders." 

Household  Fairy  Tales.     By  the  BROTHERS  GRIMM.     Profusely 
Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  As  a  collection  of  fairy  tales  to  delight  children  of  all  ages  this  work 
ranks  second  to  none."— Daily  Graphic. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  17 

Dan  the  Newsboy.     By  HORATIO  ALGER,  JB.     12mo,  cloth, 

price  $1.00. 

The  reader  is  introduced  to  Dan  Mordaunt  and  his  mother  living 
in  a  poor  tenement,  and  the  lad  is  pluckily  trying  t«  make  ends 
meet  by  selling  papers  in  the  streets  of"  New  York.  A  little 
heiress  of  six  years  is  confided  to  the  care  of  the  Mordaunts.  At 
the  same  time  the  lad  ohtains  a  position  in  a  wholesale  house. 
He  soon  demonstrates  how  valuable  he  is  to  the  firm  by  detecting 
the  bookkeeper  in  a  bold  attempt  to  rob  his  employers.  The 
child  is  kidnaped  and  Dan  tracks  the  child  to  the  house  where 
she  is  hidden,  and  rescues  her.  The  wealthy  aunt  of  the  little 
heiress  is  so  delighted  with  Dan's  courage  and  many  good  qualities 
that  she  adopts  him  as  her  heir,  and  the  conclusion  of  the  book 
leaves  the  hero  on  the  high  road  to  every  earthly  desire. 

Tony  the  Hero  :  A  Brave  Boy's  Adventure  with  a  Tramp.  By 
HORATIO  ALGER,  JR.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
Tony,  a  sturdy  bright-eyed  boy  of  fourteen,  is  under  the  control 
of  Rudolph  Rugg,  a  thorough  rascal,  shiftless  and  lazy,  spending 
his  time  tramping  about  the  country.  After  much  abuse  Tony 
runs  away  and  gets  a  job  as  stable  boy  in  a  country  hotel.  Tony  is 
heir  to  a  large  estate  in  England,  and  certain  persons  find  it  nec- 
essary to  pcpduce  proof  of  the  lad's  death.  Rudolph  for  a  con- 
sideration hunts  up  Tony  and  throws  him  down  a  deep  well.  Of 
course  Tony  escapes  from  the  fate  provided  for  him,  and  by  a 
brave  act  makes  a  rich  friend,  with  whom  he  goes  to  England, 
where  he  secures  his  rights  and  is  prosperous.  The  fact  that  Mr. 
Alger  is  the  author  of  this  entertaining  book  will  at  once  recom- 
mend it  to  all  juvenile  readers. 

A  Young  Hero ;  or,  Fighting  to  Win.     BY  EDWARD  S.  ELLIS. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

This  storytells  how  a  valuable  solid  silver  service  was  stolen 
from  the  Misses  Perkinpine,  two  very  old  and  simple  minded 
ladies.  Fred  Sheldon,  the  hero  of  this  story  and  a  friend  of  the 
old  ladies,  undertakes  to  discover  the  thieves  and  have  them  ar- 
rested. After  much  time  spent  in  detective  work,  he  succeeds  in 
discovering  the  silver  plate  and  winning  the  reward  for  its  re- 
storation. During  the  narrative  a  circus  comes  to  town  and  a 
thrilling  account  of  the  escape  of  the  lion  from  its  cage,  with  its 
recapture,  is  told  in  Mr.  Ellis'  most  fascinating  style.  Every 
boy  will  be  glad  to  read  this  delightful  book. 

The  Days  of  Bruce :  A  Story  from  Scottish  History.     By  GRACE 
AGUILAR.     Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 
"There  is  a  delightful  freshness,  sincerity  and  vivacity  about  all  of  Grace 

Aguilar's  stories  which  cannot  fail  to  win  the  interest  and  admiration  or 

every  lover  of  good  reading."— Boston  Beacon. 


18  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

Tom  the  Bootblack ;  or,  The  Road  to  Success.      By  HORATIO 

ALGER,  JR.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  bright,  enterprising  lad  was  Tom  the  bootblack.  He  was 
not  at  all  ashamed  of  his  humble  calling,  though  always  on  the 
lookout  to  better  himself.  His  guardian,  old  Jacob  Morton,  died, 
leaving  him  a  small  sum  of  money  and  a  written  confession  that 
Tom,  instead  of  being  of  humble  origin,  was  the  son  and  heir  of 
a  deceased  Western  merchant,  and  had  been  defrauded  out  of  his 
j ust  rights  by  an  unscrupulous  uncle.  The  lad  started  for  Cin- 
cinnati to  look  up  his  heritage.  But  three  years  passed  away 
before  he  obtained  his  first  clue.  Mr.  Grey,  the  uncle,  did  not 
hesitate  to  employ  a  ruffian  to  kill  the  lad.  The  plan  failed,  and 
Gilbert  Grey,  once  Tom  the  bootblack,  came  into  a  comfortable 
fortune.  This  is  one  of  Mr.  Alger's  best  stories. 

Captured  by  Zulus  :  A  story  of  Trapping  in  Africa.     By  HARR~S 

PRENTICE.     12rno,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

This  story  details  the  adventures  of  two  lads,  Dick  Elsworth 
and  Bob  Harvey,  in  the  wilds  of  South  Africa,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  a  supply  of  zoological  curiosities.  By  stratagem  the 
Zulus  capture  Dick  and  Bob  and  take  them  to  their  principal 
kraal  or  village.  The  lads  escape  death  by  digging  their  way 
out  of  the  prison  hut  by  night.  They  are  pursued,  and  after  a 
rough  experience  the  boys  eventually  rejoin  the  expedition  and 
take  part  in  several  wild  animal  hunts.  The  Zulus  finally  give 
up  pursuit  and  the  expedition  arrives  at  the  coast  without  further 
trouble.  Mr.  Prentice  has  a  delightful  method  of  blending  fact 
with  fiction.  He  tells  exactly  how  wild-beast  collectors  secure 
specimens  on  their  native  stamping  grounds,  and  these  descrip- 
tions make  very  entertaining  reading. 

Tom  the   Ready;  or,  Up  from  the  Lowest.      By  RANDOLPH 

HILL.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

This  is  a  dramatic  narrative  of  the  unaided  rise  of  a  fearless, 
ambitious  boy  from  the  lowest  round  of  fortune's  ladder — the 
gate  of  the  poorhouse — to  wealth  and  the  governorship  of  his 
native  State.  Thomas  Seacomb  begins  life  with  a  purpose.  While 
yet  a  schoolboy  he  conceives  and  presents  to  the  world  the  germ 
of  the  Overland  Express  Co.  At  the  very  outset  of  his  career 
jealousy  and  craft  seek  to  blast  his  promising  future.  Later  he 
sets  out  to  obtain  a  charter  for  a  railroad  line  in  connection  with 
the  express  business.  Now  he  realizes  what  it  is  to  match  him- 
self against  capital.  Yet  he  wins  and  the  railroad  is  built.  Only 
an  uncommon  nature  like  Tom's  could  successfully  oppose  such  a 
combine.  How  he  manages  to  win  the  battle  is  told  by  Mr.  Hill 
in  a  masterful  way  that  thrills  the  reader  and  hi/Ids  his  attention 
and  svmpathy  to  the  end. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  19 

Roy  Gilbert's  Sea-ch :  A  Tale  of  the  Great  Lakes.     By  WM.  P. 

CHIPMAN.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  deep  mystery  hangs  over  the  parentage  of  Roy  Gilbert. 
He  arranges  with  two  schoolmates  to  make  a  tour  of  the 
Great  Lakes  on  a  steam  launch.  The  three  boys  leave  Erie  on 
the  launch  and  visit  many  points  of  interest  on  the  lakes.  Soon 
afterward  the  lad  is  conspicuous  in  the  rescue  of  an  elderly  gentle- 
man and  a  lady  from  a  sinking  yacht.  Later  on  the  cruise  of  the 
launch  is  brought  to  a  disastrous  termination  and  the  boys  nar- 
rowly escape  with  their  lives.  The  hero  is  a  manly,  self-reliant 
boy,  whose  adventures  will  be  followed  with  interest. 

The  Young  Scout;  The  Story  of  a  West  Point  Lieutenant.    By 
EDWARD  S.  ELLIS.     12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  crafty  Apache  chief  Geronimo  but  a  few  years  ago  was  the 
most  terrible  scourge  of  the  southwest  border.  The  author  has 
woven,  in  a  tale  of  thrilling  interest,  all  the  incidents  of  Geronimo's 
last  raid.  The  hero  is  Lieutenant  James  Decker,  a  recent  graduate 
of  West  Point.  Ambitious  to  distinguish  himself  so  as  to  win 
well-deserved  promotion,  the  young  man  takes  many  a  desperate 
chance  against  the  enemy  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  nar- 
rowly escapes  with  his  life.  The  story  naturally  abounds  in 
thrilling  situations,  and  being  historically  correct,  it  is  reasonable 
to  believe  it  will  find  great  favor  with  the  boys.  In  our  opinion 
Mr.  Ellis  is  the  best  writer  of  Indian  stories  now  before  the 
public. 

Adrift  in  the  Wilds :     The  Adventures  of  Two  Shipwrecked 
Boys.     BY  EDWARD  S.  ELLIS.     12mo,  cloth,  price,  $1.00. 

Elwood  Brandon  and  Howard  Lawrence,  cousins  and  school- 
mates, accompanied  by  a  lively  Irishman  called  O'Rooney,  are  en 
route  for  San  Francisco.  Off  the  coast  of  California  the  steamer 
takes  fire.  The  two  boys  and  their  companion  reach  the  shore 
with  several  of  the  passengers.  While  O  Rooney  and  the  lads 
are  absent  inspecting  the  neighborhood  O'Rooney  has  an  excit- 
ing experience  and  young  Brandon  becomes  separated  from  his 
party.  He  is  captured  by  hostile  Indians,  but  is  rescued  by  an 
Indian  whom  the  lads  had  assisted.  This  is  a  very  entertaining 
narrative  of  Southern  California  in  the  days  immediately  preced- 
ing the  construction  of  the  Pacific  railroads.  Mr.  Ellis  seems  to 
be  particularly  happy  in  this  line  of  fiction,  and  the  present  story 
is  fully  as  entertaining  as  anything  he  has  ever  written. 

The  Red  Fairy  Book.    Edited  by  ANDREW  LANG.     Profusely 

Illustrated,  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

"  A  gift-book  that  will  charm  any  child,  and  all  older  folk  who  have  been 
fortunate  enough  to  retain  their  taste  for  the  old  nursery  stories."— Literary 
World. 


20  A.  L.  HURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

The  Boy  Cruisers ;  or,  Paddling  in  Florida.      BY  ST.  GEORGE 

RATHBORNE.     12mo,  cloth,  price,  $1.00. 

Boys  who  like  an  admixture  of  sport  and  adventure  will  find 
this  book  just  to  their  taste.  We  promise  them  that  they  will 
not  go  to  sleep  over  the  rattling  experiences  of  Andrew  George 
aod  Roland  Carter,  who  start  on  a  canoe  trip  along  the  Gulf 
coast,  from  Key  West  to  Tampa,  Florida.  Their  first  adventure 
is  with  a  pair  of  rascals  who  steal  their  boats.  Next  they  run 
into  a  gale  in  the  Gulf  and  have  a  lively  experience  while  it  lasts. 
After  that  they  have  a  lively  time  with  alligators  and  divers 
varieties  of  the  finny  tribe.  Andrew  gets  into  trouble  with  a 
band  of  Seminole  Indians  and  gets  away  without  having  his 
scalp  raised.  After  this  there  is  no  lack  of  fun  till  they 
reach  their  destination.  That  Mr.  Rathborne  knows  just  how  to 
interest  the  boys  is  apparent  at  a  glance,  and  lads  who  are  in 
search  of  a  rare  treat  will  do  well  to  read  this  entertaining  story. 

Guy  Harris :    The  Runaway.     BY  HARRY  CASTLEMON.     12mo, 

cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Guy  Harris  lived  in  a  small  city  on  the  shore  of  one  of  the 
Great  Lakes.  His  head  became  filled  with  quixotic  notions  of 
going  West  to  hunt  grizzlies,  in  fact,  Indians.  He  is  per- 
suaded to  go  to  sea,  and  gets  a  glimpse  of  the  rough  side  of  life 
in  a  sailor's  Boarding  house.  He  ships  on  a  vessel  and  for  five 
months  leads  a  hard  life.  He  deserts  his  ship  at  San  Francisco 
and  starts  out  to  become  a  backwoodsman,  but  rough  experiences 
soon  cure  him  of  all  desire  to  be  a  hunter.  At  St.  Louis  he  be- 
comes a  clerk  and  for  a  time  he  yields  to  the  temptations  of  a 
great  city.  The  book  will  not  only  interest  boys  generally  on 
account  of  its  graphic  style,  but  will  put  many  facts  before  their 
eyes  in  a  new  light.  This  is  one  of  Castlemou's  most  attractive 
stories. 

The  Train  Boy.     BY  HORATIO  ALGER,  JR.    12mo,  cloth,  price 

$1.00. 

Paul  Palmer  was  a  wide-awake  boy  of  sixteen  who  supported 
his  mother  and  sister  by  selling  books  and  papers  on  one  of  the 
trains  running  between  Chicago  and  Milwaukee.  He  detects  a 
young  man  named  Luke  Denton  in  the  act  of  picking  the  pocket 
of  a  young  lady,  and  also  incurs  the  enmity  of  his  brother  Ste- 
phen, a  worthless  follow.  Luke  and  Stephen  plot  to  ruin  Paul, 
but  their  plans  are  frustrated.  In  a  railway  accident  many  pas- 
sengers are  killed,  but  Paul  is  fortunate  enough  to  assist  a  Chicago 
merchant,  who  out  of  gratitude  takes  him  into  his  employ.  Paul 
is  sent  to  manage  a  mine  in  Custer  City  and  executes  his  com- 
mission with  tact  and  judgment  and  is  well  started  on  the  road 
to  business  prominence.  This  is  one  of  Mr.  Alger's  most  attrac- 
tive stories  and  is  aure  to  please  all  readers. 


A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS.  21 

Joe's  Luck  :  A  Boy's  Adventures  in  California.  BY  HORATIO 
ALGER,  JR.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

Without  a  doubt  Joe  Mason  was  a  lucky  boy,  but  he  deserved 
the  golden  chances  that  fell  to  his  lot,  for  he  had  the  pluck  and 
ambition  to  push  himself  to  the  front.  Joe  had  but  one  dollar  in 
the  world  when  he  stood  despondently  on  the  California  'Mail 
Steamship  Co.'s  dock  in  New  York  watching  the  preparations  in- 
cident to  the  departure  of  the  steamer.  The  same  dollar  was 
still  Joe's  entire  capital  when  he  landed  in  the  bustling  town  of 
tents  and  one-story  cabins — the  San  Francisco  of  '51,  and  inside 
of  the  week  the  boy  was  proprietor  of  a  small  restaurant  earning  a 
comfortable  profit.  The  story  is  chock  full  of  stirring  incidents, 
while  the  amusing  situations  are  furnished  by  Joshua  Bickford, 
from  Pumpkin  Hollow,  and  the  fellow  who  modestly  styles  him- 
self the  "Rip-tail  Roarer,  from  Pike  Co.,  Missouri."  Mr.  Alger 
never  writes  a  poor  book,  and  "Joe's  Luck"  is  certainly  one  of 
his  best. 

Three  Bright  Girls  :  A  Story  of  Chance  and  Mischance.  By 
ANNIE  E.  ARMSTRONG.  With  full  page  Illustrations  by  W. 
PARKINSON.  12mo,  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

By  a  sudden  turn  of  fortune's  wheel  the  three  heroin  es  of  this 
story  are  brought  down  from  a  household  of  lavish  comfort  to 
meet  the  incessant  cares  and  worries  of  those  who  have  to  eke  out 
a  very  limited  income.  And  the  charm  of  the  story  lies  in  the 
cheery  helpfulness  of  spirit  developed  in  the  girls  by  their  changed 
circumstances;  while  the  author  finds  a  pleasant  ending  to  all 
their  happy  makeshifts. 

"  The  story  is  charmingly  told,  and  the  book  can  be  warmly  recommended 
as  a  present  for  girls."— Standard. 

Giannetta :  A  Girl's  Story  of  Herself.  By  ROSA  MTJLHOLLAND. 
With  full-page  Illustrations  by  LOCKHART  BOGLE.  12mo, 
cloth,  price  $1.00. 

The  daughter  of  a  gentleman,  who  had  married  a  poor  Swiss 
girl,  was  stolen  as  an  infant  by  some  of  her  mother's  relatives. 
The  child  having  died,  they  afterward  for  the  sake  of  gain  sub- 
stitute another  child  for  it,  and  the  changeling,  after  becoming 
a  clever  modeler  of  clay  images,  is  suddenly  transferred  to  the 
position  of  a  rich  heiress.  She  develops  into  a  good  and  accom- 
plished woman,  and  though  the  imposture  of  her  early  friends  is 
finally  discovered,  she  has  gained  too  much  love  and  devotion  to 
be  really  a  sufferer  by  the  surrender  of  her  estates. 

"  Extremely  well  told  and  full  of  interest.  Giannetta  is  a  true  heroine- 
warm-hearted,  self -sacrificing,  and,  as  all  good  women  nowadays  are,  largely 
touched  with  enthusiasm  of  humanity.  The  illustrations  are  unusually  good. 
One  of  the  most  attractive  gift  books  of  the  season."— The  Academy. 


22  A.  L.  BURT'S  PUBLICATIONS. 

Margery  Merton's  Girlhood.  By  ALICE  CORKRAN.  With  full- 
page  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE.  12mo.  cloth,  price 
$1.00. 

The  experiences  of  an  orphan  girl  who  in  infancy  is  left  by  her 
father — an  officer  in  India — to  the  care  of  an  elderly  aunt  residing 
near  Paris.  The  accounts  of  the  various  persons  who  have  an 
after  influence  on  the  story,  the  school  companions  of  Margery, 
the  sisters  of  the  Conventual  College  of  Art,  the  professor,  and 
the  peasantry  of  Fontainebleau,  are  singularly  vivid.  There  is  a 
subtle  attraction  about  the  book  which  will  make  it  a  great  favorite 
with  thoughtful  girls. 

"  Another  book  for  girls  we  can  warmly  commend.  There  is  a  delightful 
piquancy  in  the  experiences  and  trials  of  a  young  English  girl  who  studies 
painting  in  Paris,"— Sat urday  Review. 

Under  False  Colors :  A  Story  from  Two  Girls'  Lives.  By 
SARAH  DOUDNEY.  With  full-page  Illustrations  by  G.  G.  Kiii- 
BURNE.  12mo.  cloth,  price  $1.00. 

A  story  which  has  in  it  so  strong  a  dramatic  element  that .  it 
will  attract  readers  of  all  ages  and  of  either  sex.  The  incidents 
of  the  plot,  arising  from  the  thoughtless  indulgence  of  a  decep- 
tive freak,  are  exceedingly  natural,  and  the  keen  interest  of  the 
narrative  is  sustained  from  beginning  to  end. 

"Sarah  Doudney  has  no  superior  as  a  writer  of  high-toned  stories— pure 
In  style,  original  in  conception,  and  with  skillfully  wrought  out  plots;  but 
we  have  seen  nothing  equal  in  dramatic  energy  to  this  book." — Christian 
Leader. 

Down  the  Snow  Stairs ;  or,  From  Good-night  to  Good-morning. 

By  ALICE  CORKRAN.    With  Illustrations  by  GORDON  BROWNE. 

12mo,  cloth,  price  75  cents. 

This  is  a  remarkable  story:  full  of  vivid  fancy  and  quaint 
originality.  In  its  most  fantastic  imaginings  it  carries  with  it  a 
sense  of  reality,  and  derives  a  singular  attraction  from  that  com- 
bination of  simplicity,  originality,  and  subtle  humor,  which  is  so 
much  appreciated  by  lively  and  thoughtful  children.  Children 
of  a  larger  growth  will  also  be  deeply  interested  in  Kitty's  strange 
journey,  and  her  wonderful  experiences. 

"Among  all  the  Christmas  volumes  which  the  year  has  brought  to  our 
table  this  one  stands  out  facile  princeps—a.  gem  of  the  first  water,  bearing 
upon  every  one  of  its  pages  the  signet  mark  of  genius.  .  .  .  All  is  told 
with  such  simplicity  and  perfect  naturalness  that  the  dream  appears  to  be  a 
solid  reality.  It  is  indeed  a  Little  Pilgrim's  Progress."—  Christian  Leader. 

The  Tapestry  Room:  A  Child's  Romance.  By  MRS.  MOLES- 
WORTH.  Illustrated  by  WALTER  CRANE.  12mo,  cloth,  price 
75  cents. 

"Mrs.  Molesworth  is  a  charming  painter  of  the  nature  and  ways  of  children; 
and  she  has  done  good  service  in  giving  us  this  charming  juvenile  which  will 
delight  the  young  people." — Athenaeum,  London. 


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